A different topic, but something Smoltz brought up last night was that the Eagles and Texans would be playing (in Houston) tonight, so both cities would have NFL and MLB games to choose between.
For Houston, the Astros would be clearly the bigger draw. The Texans haven’t been doing well for years and ownership has really alienated the fan base.
But I have no idea what Philadelphia fans would do. NFL games, even bad ones, often bring in higher ratings than even World Series games, and the Eagles are currently undefeated. And the Phillies are guaranteed to play on Saturday in any event.
Though, since Fox is carrying the World Series, it’ll be broadcast on some random channel in both cities. Both local Fox affiliates are probably cursing that rain postponement. They would have had both cities locked from Monday through the end of the World Series. I did read the Texans will be providing score updates and highlights on the jumbotrons at NRG stadium and broadcasting the game in the concourses, which is nice.
That is my understanding; part of the NFL’s contracts with cable-only and streaming-only services (ESPN, NFL Network, Amazon, etc.) which carry NFL games is that they have to arrange to have over-the-air broadcast coverage in the teams’ home markets.
Yes, within the primary TV markets for each team. So the Philadelphia and Houston markets will get the game on a broadcast station. Which would have been the main Fox affiliate in both cities, but they’re shuffling it off to a side channel (I don’t think I’ve ever watched KTXH out here, for example).
The definition of the primary home market for each team is not always 100% clear cut (and can be to a degree chosen by the stations), but you can assume it’s generally the geographic area up to the point it abuts a different market. For Texas, most of the state is considered the home market of Dallas, except for the counties within about 100 miles or so of Houston.
About the combined no hitter, I’m okay with it being celebrated and counted. And against a World Series team, or even an LDS or LCS team, is impressive. But the comment about a combined hitting for the cycle, yes that is ludicrous. But we should hush about that our someone from MLB will say, Hey! Why not?
About Cristian Javier’s commanding performance last night, one really cool thing is that I understand his parents were there last night and that was their first MLB game they saw him pitch in.
And, with Verlander going tonight, his track record in the World Series has been pretty piss poor. We’ll find out soon enough who shows up tonight, the Verlander of his past World Series performances, or the Verlander of his regular season career. It’s the equivalent of Clayton Kershaw.
If you are expanding it to include all playoff games then of course we HAVE had another no hitter. Roy Halladay no-hit the Reds in the NLDS in 2010.
If we limit or view to the World Series, it’s just 4-7 games a year. Since Don Larsen’s perfect game there were 380 World Series games until last night’s no hitter, which isn’t a remarkable run either way.
Precedence: 1989. Earthquake hits just as Game 3 is about to start in San Francisco against Oakland. Other than the stadium doing a whole lot of shaking (which needs to be inspected), there’s infrastructure that collapsed making things difficult in the Bay area. There’s some talk of moving to a third neutral site, I think Dodger Stadium was mentioned, possibly San Diego and others. MLB waited until everything was safe and Game 3 started 10 days later. So a few days of rain is nothing.
The 1973 Mets were just 34-46, 12.5 games out in last place and ended up winning the division with just 82 wins but they did lose in the WS. That 12 games below .500 matches the 2019 Nats (“only” 10 games out). The Astros in 2005 were also in last place 14 games out. Yogi was right: it ain’t over 'til it’s over.
I don’t think it’s ridiculous. A team was held hitless and that’s quite an achievement, whether by one pitcher or more. I’m waiting for a combined perfect game and surely this will happen one day.
Funny you mention teammates hitting for the cycle. I listen to a podcast called Effectively Wild. About a couple months ago, someone sent a question about if two or more batters hit for the cycle in ONE batter spot. A combined cycle as it were. I was surprised to learn that it has happened a few times.
heh, one day it’s going to be like the SF rollerball game… it never actually ends it just takes a month or so off for a draft and training the new guys …
I’ll post this question here, as it occured to me during Game 6.
They were talking about the extreme third base side of the rubber one pitcher used, and then mentioned the other started was way off to the first base side. Fine. I know the foot has to be on the rubber until they release the ball. I have never, in all my life, seen an ump call a violation of that rule. It must happen, right? Has anyone seen it? What’s the penalty?
