Longest. Four-Game. Homestand. Ever.

This is how the field looked for the last few days when we've had to pull tarp:





OK, not really, but close. I really cannot remember such a hellish 4 game homestand, last year or this year. And the first game on Monday was fine. Since then, everything that could go wrong or against my hope for ever sleeping again has occurred.

Tuesday- game started at the normal 7:05 time. In the bottom of the ninth with the Rocks losing 2-1, they tie it up and the rains came. If they had not tied, the game would have been over. Instead, after it took the semi-retarded umpires over an hour to decide the monsoon was not stopping, it was decided play would pick up at 5PM on Wednesday, followed by the normally-scheduled game at 7(yes, even if suspended game finished in 5 minutes, we would have to wait till 7. Nice).

Wednesday- after getting 4 hours of sleep, I prepare for 3:45 gates that nobody will be here for. The rains continues till 6:30, so the tarp comes off and the suspended game finally gets going. Thankfully, it only lasts one more inning (the Rocks lose 6-2), and the 7PM game gets pushed to 8PM. Sometime during the 6th inning, with the Rocks losing 3-1, the sky looks ominous again. We all gather by the tarp (on the plus side, this is the most of a game I've seen all year- and got to see an inside-the park homer as well). The drizzle turns into a monsoon, and yet they play on. The umpires are trying to squeeze every second in. In the bottom of the 7th, the Rocks score 2 runs and tie it- and then the umpires delay the game. Then they proceed to take 1 1/2 hours to decide that THIS rain is not stopping either. If they had called it one out earlier, the game would be over. Instead, yup, you guessed it, we have another 5PM start today before the 7PM regular game. That is, if the 60% chance of rain doesn't cause more havoc.

This is part of what I do, I accept that, but the ineptitude of 2 guys who have all the power in this situation is mind-numbing. Trying to get the game in is one thing- making horrible errors in judgement 2 nights in a row is quite another. OK, I'm done. :)

*thanks for the pic Ian!