So, I got really into tracking baseball games a few seasons back. Not just watching, but really trying to figure out the little things, you know? And man, these rain delays in MLB started driving me nuts.
First off, I tried to figure out who even makes the call. Before the game starts, it’s usually the home team, right? But once that first pitch is thrown, it suddenly becomes the umpire crew chief’s decision. Seems simple, but then you watch enough games and it feels… kinda random sometimes. One game, it’s barely drizzling and they pull the tarps. Next day, different city, it’s coming down pretty good and they’re still playing. Makes you scratch your head.
I started trying to predict them myself. Got obsessed with weather apps. Checking the radar every five minutes leading up to game time, trying to see if that big green blob was gonna hit the stadium. Sometimes I’d nail it, felt like a genius. Most times, though? The forecast would look clear, I’d settle in, maybe have some friends over, and bam! Sudden downpour, tarp comes on. Or the forecast looks terrible, I make other plans, and they somehow play the whole game without a drop.
Digging into the Process
Okay, so I dug a bit deeper. Talked to a few people who’ve worked game days, just casually, you know, trying to get the inside scoop. It’s not just about the rain falling right then.
- The Field: This was a big one I hadn’t fully appreciated. How well does the field drain? Is it already soaked from earlier rain? They gotta protect the field, especially the infield dirt and the mound. Makes sense, but it adds another layer of guesswork for us fans.
- The Forecast (Again): They aren’t just looking at the current rain. They’re talking to meteorologists, looking at the next few hours. Is it a passing shower or is it settling in for the night? That affects whether they wait it out or just call it.
- Safety: Lightning is the big one, obviously. Any lightning nearby, and they have to clear the field and stands. No messing around with that.
But even knowing all that, it still felt inconsistent sometimes. I remember one specific game, Mets maybe? Looked like it would rain all night. They delayed, waited, delayed again. Finally called it super late. Fans were grumpy, stuck at the ballpark for hours. Then other times, similar forecast, they call it off way earlier. Maybe it depends on travel schedules for the teams? If one team has an early flight? It’s all this stuff happening behind the scenes we don’t really see.
The Impact I Noticed
It’s not just about fans getting wet or bored. Think about the teams.
Pitchers get messed up. Starting pitcher warms up, gets ready, then sits for an hour or two during a delay? Often, they won’t come back out. Their whole routine is shot. Then the bullpen gets used up unexpectedly. It can totally change the complexion of a game, or even the next few games if the bullpen is taxed.
Travel and scheduling gets chaotic. A rainout often means a doubleheader later, squeezing more baseball into less time. That wears players down. Sometimes they gotta fly to the next city right after a late game caused by delays.
And for people like me, just trying to watch or maybe placing a friendly wager? It throws everything off. Starting pitchers change, game flow gets weird. It’s just part of the deal with baseball, I guess.
So, after all that digging and tracking? I haven’t cracked some magic code to predict rain delays perfectly. It’s still a bit of a mess to figure out from the outside. I’ve mostly just accepted it now. It’s part of the outdoor nature of the sport. You check the weather, hope for the best, and if the tarp comes out, you grab another drink and wait. It’s unpredictable, sometimes frustrating, but hey, so is baseball itself. That’s probably why we watch.
