Rays sink Saturday DH as DJ3K on hold with rainout

July 8, 2011 by Benjamin Kabak 96 Comments

Updated (6:18 p.m.): With rain blanketing the New York area, Mother Nature has put Derek Jeter‘s quest for 3000 hits on hold. The Yankees announced a few minutes ago that tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays has been postponed due to the weather. The game will be made up on Thursday, Sept. 22, an off-day following a two-game set against Tampa Bay.

The Yankees initially wanted to play a double header tomorrow to accommodate fans who paid a premium in the hopes of seeing Jeter’s hit, but according to Jerome Preisler of the YES Network, the Rays were prepared to wait out a lengthy rain delay tonight if the Yanks did not drop the doubleheader request.

Frankly, I’m surprised by the Rays’ resistance to the doubleheader. The Yanks would have thrown Freddy Garcia and A.J. Burnett, and as A-Rod and Nick Swisher, who were out of today’s lineup, are day-to-day, the Yanks’ offense might have been at a weak point. Plus, with Mariano Rivera‘s arm bothering, he would have thrown in only one game at most, and then pen should be stronger when Tampa Bay next comes to town. Furthermore, Francisco Cervelli would have played one of the two games, and Eduardo Nuñez and Ramiro Peña likely would have as well to avoid aggravating Jeter’s calf or A-Rod’s knee. Ultimately, it sounds as though Tampa Bay is simply trying to avoid giving up Jeter’s 3000th hit. Anyway, neither team has yet announced its pitching plans for the rest of the weekend, and Derek Jeter will have just two home games to knock out two hits before the All Star Break

pat

Sucks for everyone that paid out the ass for tickets.
- Adam B
  
  its their own damn fault, every stadium built in the past decade should all have a retractable roof… Rainouts are completely ridiculous and it is an insult to the 50,000 people who bought tickets for the games…
  
  the fact that Derek is chasing 3000 right now is insult to injury.
  - http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak
    
    Yes. The $200-$300 million the roof would have cost certainly would justified protection from the 1-2 rainouts per year the Yanks average.
    
    Come on.
  - B-rando
    
    Seriously dude? Lol.
  - Zack D
    
    What section were you suppose to sit in tonight?
    - Adam B
      
      This is the 3rd rainout I have had tickets for in the past 5 years…
      
      Obviously I am in the minority here and it is just my opinion but if the D-Bags can afford the roof the yankees can.
      - http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak
        
        Just wondering: Have you ever been to Arizona in June, July or August? The D-backs wouldn’t be able to play any games period without a climate-controlled stadium.
        
        Adam B
        
        I understand that, but it’s not like the Weather in the northeast is crystal clear all the time either. There are delays that last for hours that some just can’t stay for. I know it’s not as many games but there is a legitimate argument… It’s not like I’m talking about some team here that can’t afford it…
        
        The BIG 3
        
        I agree with your bitch. What hasn’t been said is how cold Aprils and Septembers have a tendency of causing injuries on $200 mil payrolls.
        
        That said, I don’t know how a retractable roof would work here but if the motivation to do so existed, at least a few plans could have been hashed about.
        
        Adam B
        
        That’s all I’m saying… I understand it is a small amount of games that get effected by this and that is completely legitimate, but there is still the argument of knowing you will see baseball on the day you pay money for the tickets… As a fan that is one of the best things a ball club can provide for me…
        
        I don’t expect everyone to agree wiht me here but given how much money they put in to the stadium, it is not completely outlandish to think that a retractable roof should be part of it…
        
        Preston
        
        I live in Arizona and when the roof is closed the atmosphere in the ball-park really sucks. I get it is necessary for most day games. But for night games they need to open it up more often.
  - Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat
    
    Better yet, Every team could move to a lovely domed stadium like the Trop!
http://Facebook.com/andrewjcalagna Drew

I’m looking very smart right now with my 7/10 3rd inning prediction for DJ3K.
http://twitter.com/rebeccapbp Squishy Jello Person

Grr Rays.
http://none Favrest

Mother F’ king Rays!!! Why the F do they get to decide whether or not they play a double header?!!!
- The BIG 3
  
  Because why should they allow their opponent to dictate their pace? I think Mike is wrong here; I doubt TB cares one hoot about Jeter, they would just prefer to confront their schedule as planned, but if not, have 2 months to plan the double-header instead of one day.
  - http://none Favrest
    
    Neither team should be allowed anything. Day/Night Double Header. Dictated by MLB. Either is team welcome to forfeit, or if they’re up to it, get their pansy asses out there and play.
Rainbow Connection

Both teams acting like babies and screwing the fans.
- http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak
  
  How are the Yanks screwing the fans?
- Jamey
  
  The Yankees were willing to play a double header in a time when their bullpen is almost bare & a lot of the team is banged up. It would have been as closed to a guaranteed split for Tampa as you can get, if not even a DH sweep. So the Yankees, one could argue, were willing to give away a win so the fans that paid big money to see Jeter on the night he was most likely to get 3K wouldn’t have done so for nothing. I don’t see how The Yankees acted like babies and or screwed their fans. They did everything they could to give them their money’s worth, money accounting for more than just ticket price because I can guarantee there are some people with pricey NYC hotel rooms who didn’t pay a fortune to visit the M&M store.
  - Ro
    
    Well said and I do agree. For all the Yankee posturing, for all the its about talk about wining first player second, I think the Yanks easily claim defeat for a game (by fielding a lesser team for a game) in order to satisfy the fans. That is an intelligent business move in this situation and while one game counts in the standings, I think we could all count on the Yanks to make that up somewhere. This is clearly the Rays doing.
Brooklyn Ed

damnit Rays, just because you play in a dome doesn’t give you the right to be selfish. vote yes for DH tomorrow.
jon

i wonder why the rays dont want the DH

they are the younger less hurt team
Operation Slade

Wow seriously they refused a DH, why? Whats the big deal?
jay h

The Rays just gave 50,000 people a completely rational reason to hate them
- 28 this year
  
  50,000 who really hate them. Millions who hate them. The Rays just lost their underdog appeal by acting snobbish.
Mike

Ugh. Sitting at a bar next to the stadium. This sucks. Now for a pain in the ass procedure through stubhub……
http://www.CarlsYankeeDugout.com Carl

Nothing but selfishness by the Rays. They’re not thinking about the All-Star Break, the fans who’ve paid to see Jeter get 3,000 in the Bronx, and that the Yankees have 2 makeup dates in the Bronx later this month and in September. I’d rather the Rays be forced to a Doubleheader and suck it up.
Matt

This makes absolutely no sense for the Rays to refuse a double header tomorrow. There are only a few flimsy reasons to explain this idiocy:

1) The Rays are acting like a bunch of crybabies and doing it to spite the Yankees for not getting their way with the rain delay. If this is true, the league should step in and force them to play.

2) The Rays don’t think that they can contend, and hence are doing it to spite the Yankees by forcing them to play a double header in September after a bunch of insane west coast trips and very few off days. Except, the Rays are only 3 games out of first place right now.

3) The Rays don’t want Derek Jeter to get his 3000th hit against them, and hope that they can delay it by giving them fewer home games. Except it’s just a milestone, play the damn game.

The Rays would benefit from a double header in terms of the games on the field.

1) They are a younger team right now, so they would be able to run out more of their lineup in both games.

2) These games are against a crucial division rival, so the first advantage is amplified even more.

3) The Yankees are missing some key spare pieces that would help them out in a double header in terms of depth (Soriano, Chavez) and both A-Rod and Swisher could miss both of those games.

Not playing a double header tomorrow hurts both of these teams tremendously. The Yankees get absolutely screwed over in terms of a second half schedule because of all the rainouts, and the Rays have to play the Yankees when they will likely be a stronger and healthier club. It makes no sense.
- Matt
  
  Also, with the all star break coming up soon, a double header will be felt less by both teams in terms of fatigue because of all the off days.
  
  If the Rays were willing to play a game that ended at 1 or 2 am tonight, followed by a 1 pm day game tomorrow, how is that much different from a double header?
  
  It’s really ridiculous.
- 28 this year
  
  Especially with the Yankees playing with a short bullpen, a bunch of nagging injuries, and the Rays are younger. In addition, the Yankees haven’t been playing that well at home compared to most years. The Rays have a fair amount of advantages that playing now for them is probably prudent rather than waiting until the Yankees are healed and once again firing on all cylinders. Plus, if you wait till September, you have the 40 man roster which would help the Yankees in the bullpen. I bet its just Maddon being all bitchy.
- http://www.youcantpredictbaseball.com bexarama
  
  and the Rays have to play the Yankees when they will likely be a stronger and healthier club.
  
  This is what I don’t get (from people who have your POV). In September? Taking off-days away from the Yankees? That’s pretty smart actually. Of course they might have a new pitcher or something, but they’re not necessarily gonna be healthier.
  - CP
    
    But the team will have a 40-man active roster. There won’t be any bullpen issues in September because they’ll have so many pitchers up they’ll practically need to sit in the stands.
    - http://www.youcantpredictbaseball.com bexarama
      
      A lot of those guys might kinda suck though.
      
      Oh, fuck it. Bring up ManBan and Betances for the pen in September just to release the hurtin’ on the Rays. /kidding
  - Matt
    
    It takes away an off day from the Rays too…
    
    And no, there is no guarantee that they will be healthier, but they are catching the Yankees at a time right now when they aren’t so healthy either.
    
    A-Rod and Swisher are both beaten up. With the All Star Break coming up, they may have sat those two out for all of the remaining games.
    
    Rivera has a tender arm right now. They would have probably been hesitant to pitch him much this weekend.
    
    The Yankees are without Soriano, Feliciano, and Marte in the bullpen (all could be back pitching by September). Eric Chavez is not on the bench, so they would see Ramiro Pena instead in the double header one of the games.
    
    On the other hand, by September 22 the Yankees could have called up guys like Montero, Romine, Jorge Vazquez, etc to create a lot more depth. Also, the bullpen will likely have more of their primary arms healthy, and will be deeper from callups.
    
    BOTH teams are hurt by playing this game in September. The Rays likely face a stronger Yankees club given the current health, and both have to give up an off day late in the season. This move is either a selfish, spite type move (in which case, the Rays are a disgrace to the game), or a concession that they aren’t going to be in contention (in which case, they gave up on their fans and their team). Either way, they humiliated themselves.
    - Mike
      
      Feliciano is likely done for the year after being shut down yesterday. Cashman needs to work the market for a LOOGY reliever ASAP, Boone Logan is not good.
      - Matt
        
        You just made me realize another good point here for why this hurts the Rays.
        
        The Yankees could also become better by adding some players by the trading deadline. For instance, they could have picked up a reliever or two and some extra depth for the roster. The Rays on the other hand are tight on the payroll and probably won’t make much of an addition.
        
        In almost every way imaginable, this move hurts the Rays just as much, if not MORE than the Yankees. The only way that this makes sense for the Rays is if they simply don’t care how much it hurts them because they expect to be 10 games out at that point. In which case, their fans should hate them just as much.
      - CP
        
        In his last 13 games (dating back to 5/28) Logan has a 2.00 ERA in 9IP with 4BB, 11K and 1HR.
        
        Mike
        
        Small sample size for the win. I’ll believe it if he can put up numbers like that consistently over a season, 9 IP is a blip on the radar even for a reliever. Until then, I’m dubious of Logan.
Urban

The Yankees could have decided to wait, unless the forecast is rain all evening. Haven’t checked.
- tom
  
  NY1 says heavy thunderstorms possible all night
- Zack D
  
  They could have decided to wait, just so people could criticize them for trying to make money off of parking & hotdogs.
  - JobaWockeeZ
    
    Which is 30 thousand times better for the fans who paid tickets. I doubt they give a fuck about each alternative that only one or two people will bash them for.
YankeeJosh

It would seem to me that this is the ideal time to have a doubleheader. With the All-Star Break Monday, both teams would be able to really work the bullpens as needed. With CC and Shields going Sunday, those are likely not going to be days that tax the pen. A DH now makes more sense than one in September for both teams imo.
Jonathan Harker

Why do the Rays get to decide? MLB should just decide what’s best and that’s what both teams have to do.
RevRocks22

Seriously, WTF! I am really annoyed right now. Playing a double header on a nice day now is way better than doing so in august. Eventually, they will have to play an extra game so it makes no sense!!
Jonathan Harker

So now they’ll skip Freddy, right? AJ tomorrow and CC on Sunday. Can’t imagine they’ll push back Freddy and AJ and not get CC another start.
Brandon

Dear Rays, Fuck you. Not only do you fuck over the Yankees who already have way to many games to make up, you also fuck over Yankees fans and your own fans. Stupid schmucks.

Also, the away team should have no right to decide what to do. The home team should or the MLB should. This makes me hate the Rays that much more. I wanted to see a fucking double header.
gargoyle

Douchebag move by the Rays but frankly the Yanks are all banged up right now so playing 3 in 2 days is not ideal. Rays are cutting off their nose to spite their face.

DJ gets his 3000th this weeklend anyway.
SDM

Rays acting like a group of whiny bitches
Rob

I’m beyond pissed off, I hope the karma gods fuck Joe maddon and freidman hard, what bitches for doing this just to spite nyy. If the Yankees did this, espn, etc would flip shit. Yeah now I get to see the rays on sept 22
- Ro
  
  Baring the Yankees not being able to field a competitive team; they would never do something like this. In fact, I don’t think there is a single other team out there that would, but just the Rays. I remember the Teixeria homerun thing too..Very childish behavior and not letting the game play naturally.
http://www.youcantpredictbaseball.com bexarama

Didn’t the Braves force the Mets to play a doubleheader? laaaaame
AC

You really think it bothers Tampa that they were the team that gave up the 3,000 hit? By all accounts they dont wanna be the team that gives it up? Whats the deal with that?
jay h

I think tampa is using this to line up their best pitchers, now they have price and shields going tomorrow and sunday.
- Rob
  
  But its not like hellickson sucks, and it’s not like garcia’s awesome
  - jay h
    
    yea but price and shields are both better than hellickson
    - Rob
      
      True, but what does it matter, both of them would still pitch whether they play the dh or not. And it’s not like hellickson v Garcia is a bad matchup for the rays
- The BIG 3
  
  Yup
Matt

Also, what happens if the weather in September isn’t so great either?

Tomorrow is supposed to be a completely clear day, with beautiful weather. You’re pretty much guaranteed to get the game in, as opposed to later in the season when it is colder and possibly much less pleasant weather.

Given all of the circumstances, this is a no brainer for BOTH teams to play a doubleheader. Except, the Rays are a bunch of crybabies who would rather spite the Yankees for not playing tonight, hurting both teams in the process.

The media should stop at every Ray’s locker tomorrow and ask them why they are so selfish as to not play the double header. Embarrass them, and make them answer these questions. There is no justification.
- Mike
  
  That’d be the quickest way to get your media credentials revoked as a beat reporter. No one is going to badger the players about a rain out, ground yourself in reality for a moment.
  - Matt
    
    Which is exactly why the traditional media has become a joke now. What happened to reporting? Everything is a game of politics nowadays, and as a result these reporters are simply puppets of the sport.
Erica

This pisses me off. My friend and I had a bet going. He was going to tonight’s game and if he saw #3000, I’d have to buy him a 12-pack of beer. If I saw it at tomorrow’s game that I’m going to, he’d have to get me a 12-pack. And it would have to be wrapped like a Christmas present.

There goes that! Sigh.
Dela G

This is bullshit. I’m at the stadium, waiting for the train back to Manhattan, and I couldn’t be more furious at the rays. What bitches
- Erica
  
  What’s the mood at the Stadium? I’m sure lots of yelling and cursing and the like. It’s ridiculous. ABSOLUTELY ridiculous.
  - Dela G
    
    People are pissed to say the least
BigTimeBartolo

To the Rays: “Yall straight bitches!”

/Rashad Evans’d
Rob S.

I blame this on the Yankees. They decided way too early to postpone the game. The Thunderstorm warning was only until 9:00 pm. With so much at stake they should have made every effort to get this game in. Instead they made a knee jerk decision over an hour before the scheduled start time. I can think of at least two other games that were postponed prematurely and it ended up raining very little if at all. If number 3000 gets hit in Rogers centre, you can blame Randy Levine and all the other Yankee decision makers. The Rays hate the Yankees, Joe Maddon is a douchebag. The Yankees brass should have known they wouldn’t go along with their plans.
Ro

Very shortsighted by Maddon and the Rays. I can’t defend him for anything he does beyond tonight. This was a self decision and shows no consideration to the legendary game of baseball. A big time FU to baseball and the fans by Maddon. Plus its not like these two teams have 16 games to play for the remainder of the season. Oh wait..There is zero excuse why they can’t play two tomorrow.

My feeling; MLBPA is talking right now and they may force the Rays hand on this one. Let’s see where things are in an hour or two, but I don’t think we should entirely rule out two for tomorrow just yet. Can that happen? Can there be a renouncement in a few hours? Nothing lost just yet.
The Rest of Earth

Oh no! The Rays won’t play a doubleheader?! Yankees fans are crying and saying the Rays are selfish? Obviously, the little issues like global warming, malaria, cancer, human trafficking, and poaching of wild animals are of secondary concern.

Jesus, who the hell cares? Get over it, it’s an effing BASEBALL GAME! Get on the train, go back to Westchester, Manhattan, or wherever, have a beer, and don’t sweat the small stuff.
- Ro
  
  I don’t comment on here much, but just curious; why are you here?
- Rob S.
  
  If you want to spend the rest of your evening thinking about Malaria then go right ahead.
- http://www.secondavenuesagas.com Benjamin Kabak
  
  You do realize this is a Yankee blog, right? Perhaps you’re new to the Internet?
  - Dos Equis Guy
    
    Jeter invented the internet.
    - Erica
      
      It’s because he’s got an Edge.
Rob S.

Cashman just said that the Rays offered a straight doubleheader but not a split doubleheader. That wouldn’t have helped tonight’s ticket holders but it would have given DJ more at bats. The Almighty dollar rules the day.
- The BIG 3
  
  That reason sounds financially motivated, but I don’t get it. Assuming that a “straight doubleheader” means no additional tickets are sold, how is that at all helpful to TB, and why would it even matter? If these current games aren’t totally sold out, none will be – ever. That reason by Cash basically says that TB believes more seat revenue will be available in August than is now with Jeter chasing 3000. That makes no sense.
  
  This is hogwash by Cash. TB just wanted its best starters starting, something that cannot be accomplished now but can be with proper planning in August.
  - http://www.teamnerdrage.com dr mrs the yankee
    
    TB probably offered it knowing the Yankees wouldn’t take it for a variety of reasons. I think you’re reading too much into it.
  - http://www.teamnerdrage.com dr mrs the yankee
    
    And TB already has their best starters going tomorrow and Sunday, plus it’s not like Hellickson is dog food. Not sure they could line it up any better than that.
    - The BIG 3
      
      Hellickson is a kid. I assure you that Madden would prefer a more experienced starter against this team.
Jeter Meter

So I now paid 100 bucks for a random september Yankee game. In the grandstand…
Dennis

Yankees should make an announcement next time they go to tampa that yankee fans should stay away from the trop and not give them money. That should teach those bitches a lesson.
Rosco

How mad would everybody be to see Jeter get 2 hits in his first 2 at bats but the game be called in the 4th inning. I like Jeter but that would be pretty funny to see the uproar.
duzzi23

It had to rain out tonight when I was going n took off work 3 hours early. I really hate Joe Maddon n the rays. Was hoping to see jeters 3000th tonight but I should no that was a pipe dream expecting him to have a multi hit game.
http://none Favrest

Does anyone know what hotel The Rays are staying at?
Seth

Is this for real. Retractable roofs? Insulted by a rainout? What is wrong with people. It’s one game. Yeh, it sucks that people who spent 10x the true value of tix tonight can be upset but why at the Yankees. It’s not their fault the secondary market sucks.

And what kind of team would trott out there for 18 innings. Does anyone really think jeter would have played every inning since he was just recently on the DL?

Also if jeter doesn’t get 3k at home does anyone realize how much money the Yankees would loose out on? They didn’t do this for the money. And you can’t get mad at the rays. They are in a pennant race too. Would you want the Yankees to trot out Hughes or nova or Garcia against a team you are trying to overtake in the standings, when you can have an extra days rest and pitch your top two guys?

Please people, it’s Friday night. Go have some fun
- Saracen
  
  Paging Voice of Reason…
  - http://none Favrest
    
    I’m sorry, but I don’t believe what I’m reading. The Rays and Yankees have no right to treat fans the way that they did.
    
    What right do we have as fans? None. Clearly. You might not consider that to be s problem, but i do.
    
    There is no reason why any MLB team have the right to refuse a double header. These prima donnas are coddled like women. John Madden is a SOB.
  - http://none Favrest
    
    AND is 100% the fault of Lonn Trost and the Yankees that the secondary market sucks.
    
    The Yankees created every ounce of it, and they are responsible.
Jeter Meter

Yeah but the money hurts. I love jeter but I’m sorry, he makes 15 mil, I don’t. I’m upset I spent my hard earned Money for nothing
http://none Favrest

You’re millionaires. Get your lazy spoiled asses out there. And agar kind of bullshit is that? Go have some fun? F you.

I just sent 400 dollars. I’m out of money. The Yankees, The Rays and F’n Stubhub are all responsible for this.
- Seth
  
  Everytime you buy a ticket to a game there is a chance of it being canceled due to rain. And in case everyone isn’t aware it’s still raining so they won’t start till later anyway.
  
  Also, yes they get paid too much money but we are the reasons for that. We pay to see them. We pay absurd amounts of money for games and we as fans are the reason the tix prices raise also.
  
  Have some fun. No reason to be heated up. It’s baseball. It’s a game. Be mad as much as you want but yelling at a blog isn’t going to help you. There is no winning this argument because people will be mad if they cancel and mad if they delayed 5 hrs.
  - http://none Favrest
    
    I’m not mad that they cancelled. I’m mad that both teams were allowed a say in whether or not they wanted to play a double header.
    
    If you don’t have enough players, and you’re cconcerned about your depth, unless there is a plane crash, that’s your problem, and every team should be forced to suck it up and deal with it.
    
    Some people are blaming the Rays, and others are blaming the Yankees. The real blame lies with MLB. These fruitcake players have too much damn power.
    
    And as far as having fun. I think it would be fun if someone would tell me if the Rays are at the Hyatt or The PM.
mark

1) cas far as I understand, the decision lies with the Rays players (not management) on whether to play a split DH. 2) I have no comprehension why the Yanks would want a DH given the health of their team. 3) I have less understanding why the Rays wouldn’t want the DH given the health of the Yanks.
- KyleLitke
  
  In regards to 2), the Yankees already have a bunch of games to makeup. At this rate, another couple rainouts and they’re not going to get a day off in September.
  
  I agree with 3) though. I still don’t get it.
sangreal

I’ve actually been wondering since the Reds series how the decision is made, because Sterling accused the Reds of forcing a postponed game to give their pitcher (who had the injured neck, and their only win of the series) an extra day to recover. It never rained the night of the cancellation. Sterling said it was a topic going around the clubhouse.