Save?

[crashtest]

It seems odd that Hawkins got the save. As best as I interpret the rules, the game ends when called on account of weather at the point it ends - provided the game has gone at least 4 and 1/2 innings with the home team ahead or 5 if the visitors are ahead. UNLESS the visiting team has gone ahead in the top half, in which case it reverts to the last completed inning. All stats hold from the point the game ends. The team ahead wins unless the UNLESS occurred. Hence Soriano's at bat counted and Hawkins gets a save for the one out he got. I wonder if he would have gotten the save if Soriano did not complete the at bat or reached base safely. What if Hawkins did not even throw a pitch, but the ump said "play" with Soriano in the box and immediately afterwards, the lightning strikes the flagpole necessitating cessation of play. Hence, it might be possible for a pitcher to get credit for a save without retiring a single batter or baserunner, or even throwing a pitch for that matter.

If Lee's catch in the vines had been a HR and the score was tied, it would have been a "suspended game" to be completed starting from the time play was halted. It would have been completed before today's game.

Boy, this week sure had its share of brainteasers for the rulebook.

[crashtest]

sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=caple/080805

Great piece on the artificial nature of the save. In essence, only using your superhuman "closer" in "save" situations keeps you from using his superhuman talents when the game is really on the line. Like a tie game in the eighth with a rally brewing. When the closer "fails" in that situation, it is attributed to the "fact" that he wasn't in the right mindset since it wasn't a "save" situation. Well, gee, it IS easier to pitch with a lead than a tie, not knowing how much longer the game might go as a tie. Recall when Lidge shut down the Cards for 3 innings of a tie game in the 2004 playoffs. I will never forgive Garner for double switching Berkman out of the game. Stupidest move he ever made. Imagine, removing your best hitter to gain a position or two in the batting order. Reallly dumb.