The Washington sports fan had a full sports buffet available to them this weekend.
Washington Nationals Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Friday night. Maryland-Penn State football noon Saturday. Game 2 of the NLDS against the Dodgers early evening Saturday night, and capping it off with the Redskins traveling up Interstate 95 Sunday to play the Baltimore Ravens.
It was a great local October sports weekend, with one event after another, one course after another.
But then someone burned Saturday evening’s meal – or, to be more accurate, soaked it enough so it wasn’t edible.
That made this Washington sports feast more complicated.
Washington’s Game 2 against Los Angeles was called shortly before it was scheduled to start Saturday at 4:08 p.m. because of rain. It had been raining for much of the day – a light, constant drizzle around Nationals Park. But the weather reports had been calling for less rain as the evening went on, and the expectation was that the game would be played.
Forty minutes after the scheduled start time, the skies were clearing around Nationals Park.
That’s why it was a surprise when the announcement came over the public address system that Saturday’s game was called off, rescheduled for Sunday at 1:08 p.m. at Nationals Park. Sunday was to be the travel day, with Game 3 to be played Monday in Los Angeles.
Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred made the call.
“We have been on the phone with our various weather services,” Manfred said shortly after the game was called. “It appears that the rain that we’re seeing right now is going to persist until at least 8 p.m. When the weatherman gives you something with 100 percent certainty, that’s unusual, but that appears what we have. Even after 8, it appears that there will be at least mist in the area. And as a result we decided that we’re going to postpone tonight’s game until 1 tomorrow, 1:08 to be precise.
“Probably it was unlikely we would be able to get the field ready, even if it stopped at 8,” Manfred said. “So all things considered, we thought it was better for fans to let them know early and let them know that we’re going to be at 1 tomorrow when the weather is supposed to be good.”
While reporters had the attention of Manfred, they grilled him on a number of topics – including the MASN television revenue dispute between the Nationals and the Orioles, whose owner, Peter Angelos, controls Washington’s television rights and revenue – which provided a humorous moment when the transcript of the question, and Manfred’s answer, referred to it as the “Manson” dispute.
For the Nationals, that may have been an accurate description of the battle for millions that has been going on for several years now.
The quick call on Saturday’s game is not typical of Nationals Park practice, where management has been known to let such decisions drag on for hours while concessions stands brought in revenue for an event that was never going to happen. With the decision out of their hands, MLB chose to promptly reschedule.
So now Washington sports fans will have their attention divided Sunday – hardly a burden, given this age of multiple electronic viewing devices. For those who were fortunate enough to have tickets for both, their Sunday got a little more complicated.
The Nationals were looking for Tanner Roark to even the five-game series Saturday, following their Friday night 4-3 loss to the Dodgers in Game 1.
Instead, Roark spent his time late Saturday afternoon playing catch on the wet outfield grass at Nationals Park shortly after the call had been called. He will take the mound now on Sunday at Nationals Park, right around the same time Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins – who performed the ceremonial “Play Ball” announcement at the Nationals game Friday night — will likely be taking the field at M&T Bank Stadium to face the Ravens.
Thom Loverro hosts his weekly podcast “Cigars & Curveballs” Wednesdays available on iTunes and Google Play.
• Thom Loverro can be reached at tloverro@washingtontimes.com.
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