Bug Selig told the Houston Astros tonight, "They must have their roof open."
Maybe I missed the memo where whether an individual stadium chooses to have a roof "open" or "closed" was of importance enough to become a matter for the friggin' commissioner of baseball to get involved in.
Two of Houston's historical "home field advantages" are the fact that the roof makes some fly balls harder to see (unless of course you play 81 games a season there and know what you're doing) and the fact that it makes a huge difference in how loud the stadium gets when the fans get loud.
"This is part of our home-field advantage and for major league baseball to try and change that is either a) ridiculous or b) they're American League fans," Astros catcher Brad Ausmus said.
Of course Selig wants the White Sox to win. They haven't had a winning World Series since before the Black Sox scandal! If he can rig it so that -- with Boston having won last year -- yet another "hasn't won in forever" team can win a Series, he'll do whatever it takes. Selig has consistently shown that "the integrity of the sport" is never his primary interest, but "what makes money" is.
I'd have loved to have seen Houston tell Selig to shove it up his ass. Too bad Selig probably would have ruled that "if you don't open the roof it's a forfeit" or something.
*sigh* I hate that man with all of my soul.
At lesat that's a bluff I'd like to have seen called.
I agree with your comments on Selig -- the Astros should get to make that call, but I also have to agree with this article:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AgIFxQxZTdzaQpQ.1cNLMvwRvLYF?slug=dw-whitesox102605&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
The Astros allowed themselves to focus too much on the roof and not enough on the game. Championship teams win baseball games anyway. I love Guillen's comment. "I don't care. It's going to be open or closed." Garner let his guys get way too wrapped up in the roof.
Josh you nailed it, I honestly was not impressed with Garner's management of the game. When I saw the chair get thrown, I knew that the Sox would eventually win it all.
Best team won, now it's time to enjoy it!
If you listened to any of the commentary, this is the same thing that happened with the Diamondbacks when they beat the Yankees. MLB takes over and dictates things like ball park conditions during the WS. It's always been done. I'd say the weather was the same at both Houston and Chicago. But the 'Stros let it affect them more than it should have.
Oh, there's no disputing that the Astros let it affect them more than they should have, but still and all, without "just cause" there's no reason the Commissioner's office should be getting involved in a decision like that.
"We want the roof open cuz we like it like that" when it's raining? Sure, get the commish involved in that decision. That's obvious.
But what Selig did was just invasive.