Newsday:

The Mets have not announced any contingency plans about a possible rainout. "I never believe the weather forecast," manager Jerry Manuel said before Thursday night's game against the Cubs at Shea Stadium.

Mets player representative Aaron Heilman said there have been no talks with the union yet about a possible doubleheader Saturday.
...
Sunday is an especially sensitive subject for the Mets, who are planning their Shea Stadium farewell ceremony to begin after the game. That still is on schedule.

Any doubleheader would have huge implications for the Mets' bullpen, which already has been stretched perhaps beyond its limits.

"I do not want to think about it," Heilman said. "We're going to cross that bridge when we come to it."
...
If the Mets and Brewers were to tie for the wild card, the tiebreaker would be at Shea Monday. But that is assuming a dry Friday and Saturday, which, according to forecasts, is a major assumption.

"Maybe there will be an act of God to push the storm off shore," Heilman said.

So their contingency plan is basically sticking their head in the sand and refusing to believe it might rain (a lot)?

See, it's not just a Drayton McLane thing after all...

I really think the "contingency plan" in the case of rainouts is to play as many games as possible and see how many need to be made up starting Monday (in addition to any possible tiebreakers needed). On the surface it "seems" better on bullpens to make teams to just play one game a day more days in a row than to start playing doubleheaders. Honestly, as much crap as I gave MLB for not dealing with Ike better than it did, I don't know what is a "good" contingency plan in this case, with so little time remaining.

The contingency plan is: The games will be played when the games can be played. If the playoff schedule has to be pushed back, the playoff schedule will be pushed back. Fox can rearrange their schedule or they can show us the never before seen episodes of "Skin" or "Cops" reruns or something else.

How did MLB allow New York to build 2 non-dome stadiums again?

CitiField was originally supposed to have one in the first design years ago.

And Minnesota is building a roofless park. The horror, the horror...

And Minnesota is building a roofless park. The horror, the horror...

Rain isn't nearly the problem in Minny as it is in NY. NYC 40% more rain than Seattle.

They could play the games at a neutral site like, oh I don't know, let me think...

MILWAUKEE!!!

(This message was approved by Alan H. "Bud" Selig, jr.)

In case anyone was wondering, baseball in New York today would require Alastair-Reynolds-level weather control machines.

The two NL Division Series and one ALDS are all slated to begin on Wednesday night. That leaves no room for rainouts in New York this weekend.

Sure it does. Assuming the weather blows through by early Sunday like it's supposed to, the Phils and Mets both play doubleheaders on Sunday, the Mets (and Phils if necessary) finish the regular season on Monday, and if the Mets and Brewers tie, play the tiebreaker on Tuesday before the LDS begins. (Yes, this scenario needs the Phils to clinch the East to work, but I think they'll do that against the Nats at home.) Hectic schedule, but it seems sort of fitting that it'd come down to something like this, given how hard the Mets and Brewers have both worked to give this playoff spot away already.

EDIT: This also assumes the weekend's events include at least one Astros loss or at least one Brewers and/or Mets win. Otherwise, we have the clusterfcuk to end all clusterfcuks.

I think that baseball is more likely to delay things than allow a season-deciding double-header. Although I do like the idea.

I think that baseball is more likely to delay things than allow a season-deciding double-header. Although I do like the idea.

So do I. But it'd have to be a day-night affair, because otherwise you'd have two sets of ticketholders showing up with tickets for the same seat.

The bottom line to all this is that Lou and Joe have got to be loving it, especially if the Cubs can knock out the Brewers by tomorrow and then be able to rest their regulars in good conscience.

Seriously though, Moose needs to pitch Sunday. Just give him a shot. Rain has already taken away 1 win (up 4-0 in the third in Pitt).

Rain is such a fickle mistress.

Mets player representative Aaron Heilman said there have been no talks with the union yet about a possible doubleheader Saturday.

Since when do doubleheaders require union permission?

Since there was a CBA.

Seriously? Does MLB submit their schedule for union approval every year as well? I can see requiring agreement for games in Japan and Mexico and such, but for make-up doubleheaders?

Seriously? Does MLB submit their schedule for union approval every year as well? I can see requiring agreement for games in Japan and Mexico and such, but for make-up doubleheaders?

There are union rules concerning how many games a team can play in a row (somewhere around 18-20, I don't recall exactly) and union approval is needed for making up games, probably on the theory that it affects travels and the like.

Any doubleheader would have huge implications for the Mets' bullpen, which already has been stretched perhaps beyond its limits.

What? Were they asked to pitch again?

bunyon, that's cold. Not unfair, but cold. :)

EDIT: This also assumes the weekend's events include at least one Astros loss or at least one Brewers and/or Mets win. Otherwise, we have the clusterfcuk to end all clusterfcuks.

Aren't the Astros dead yet?

Aren't the Astros dead yet?

Their tragic number's one. They'll be eliminated by a loss, OR a Met win, OR a Brewer win.

So, yeah, they're practically dead, and almost mathematically dead.

I hope the Metrodome isn't demolished or permenantly placed into Football configuration, because if the Twins go far in that new stadium (and, given how later and later the World series comes each year, it'll probably go into November on a regular basis from now on), because otherwise the Twins may end up having to play WS games in Milwaukee.

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-spweather265858690sep26,0,4883146.story

Mets player representative Aaron Heilman said there have been no talks with the union yet about a possible doubleheader tomorrow. The Mets would have to get permission from the players association to have a split doubleheader because they already have surpassed their allotment.

NYC 40% more rain than Seattle.

is this true? is that for a full year, or baseball season? In NY it rains a lot in March and late fall, but not much over the summer, so it doesn't interfere with baseball season.

"Their tragic number's one. They'll be eliminated by a loss, OR a Met win, OR a Brewer win.

So, yeah, they're practically dead, and almost mathematically dead."

Good. I want the best teams in the postseason, and while I'm not sure how I'd rank the Mets/Brewers/Phils, the Astros are pretty clearly behind all three in overall talent.

is this true? is that for a full year, or baseball season? In NY it rains a lot in March and late fall, but not much over the summer, so it doesn't interfere with baseball season.

According to the "rain" entry in wikipedia, Seattle gets an average of 37.1" per year, where NYC gets an average 46.2". That is not what I would have expected.

It's mostly in the winter in both places.

I've been saying for years now that every game the last week of the season should be played at Miller Park.

During the baseball season, it's NY 25.88", Sea 9.3".