Okay, here’s my blog post about figuring out the Major League Baseball rain delay rules:
So, the other day, I was watching a baseball game, and boom, rain delay. It got me thinking, what are the actual rules around this? I mean, I know they stop playing, but what happens next? I decided to do some digging.
My Deep Dive into Rain Delay Rules
First, I grabbed my phone and started searching. I figured the MLB official site would have something, and yeah, they did. But honestly, it was a bit confusing at first. Lots of “official” language.
So, I kept looking. I found some articles explaining things in simpler terms. I also checked out some fan forums – you know, to get the “real” take on things. I started making a list.
- The home team’s manager initially decides if the game should be delayed, before the game starts.
- Once the game starts, the power shifts to the umpires.
- If it rains, the game must be stopped by the umpires, not the managers.
- There’s this thing called a “regulation game” – basically, if you’ve played at least 5 innings (or 4.5 if the home team is winning), the game can be called official.
- If it’s not a regulation game, and gets stopped, they usually try to finish it later.
- They don’t restart the whole game, just continue it, or they will continue it before next game.
- Sometimes, if it’s late in the season and the game doesn’t matter for the playoffs, they might just cancel it altogether.
I spent a good hour just reading and comparing notes. I even watched a couple of YouTube videos explaining rain delays, just to make sure I had it all straight. I am pretty confident that I can explain it well now, if my friends ask me about it.
It’s actually more complicated than I thought! There are all these different scenarios and rules. But hey, now I feel like a bit of a rain delay expert. I’m ready for the next downpour during a game – I’ll be the one explaining everything to my friends!
