Here Comes the Rain Again

 

Welp.

That's it. That's sort of all I've got.

When you work in sports -- especially baseball -- the weather inevitably plays a part and it was lingering around to dampen the evening at Dutchess Stadium.

Now, the thing to recognize is weather can have a multifaceted impact. It can rain and postpone a game while I'm in transit, thus turning me around or keeping me from going at all (this is the desired outcome).

Or you can get to the stadium/field and, well, anything goes from there.

Now the weather can affect the game with the wind moving the ball around or the air being heavy or there can be heat, sun glare, yada yada...

We gathered at Dutchess Stadium tonight to begin the last six games of the regular season. The Jersey Shore BlueClaws were in town.

And we all speculated.

"It might hit us around 6:45."

"There's a cell that might pass us."

"We're going to get delayed."

Joe Ausanio prepares to throw out the first pitch

Yet, despite some wind, the game began as normal. It was Joe Ausanio bobblehead doll night as the Hudson Valley product and one-time New York Yankee was honored.

Joe was my boss last year and was a proponent of my calling Renegades games back in 2019. I'll always be grateful for his support.

So it was a normal night in the ballpark. The ball was flying out as the air got heavier and the wind blew out.

Through four innings, the Renegades had a 4-3 lead.

The wind began to kick up as the crew in the PA booth -- me, Feldman, Davey, and R&D -- monitored the weather radar.

We needed to get through five innings for the game to be official since the BlueClaws threw four runs up in the top of the fifth.

Right before the bottom of the fifth, we noticed the umpires huddling with the grounds crew. That meant they were looking at the radar also.

Within seconds, the rain began.

They tried to play on.

No dice. The dirt portions of the field (the mound and the plate) needed to be covered and we went into a delay.

The crew tried -- pushing the water that had accumulated. They tried to get home plate and the pitcher's mound back into shape. Just one problem: the ran wouldn't let up.

By 9:20, the game was officially suspended. They'll continue tomorrow at 5pm and complete the game with the Claws leading the Gades, 7-4.

I, however, am not scheduled to work, so I won't be there. So it goes.

I climbed in the car and dragged myself back to Greenwich.

If you want to work in sports these are the kinds of things that will happen. We all have stories.

I recall once driving to Ridgefield for basketball, only to be told that the game had been postponed. Nobody bothered to announce it anywhere so it was a matter of bad communication.

It happens.

So, here I am, having gotten through 4.5 innings of baseball.

I didn't get a bobblehead but Joe Ausanio signed a Yankees mini helmet for me. It was great to see him for a few minutes and I enjoyed watching him interact with fans. He seemed to really enjoy himself and he deserved that.

But there's the empty feeling of nothing completed.

It will finish tomorrow night, and they'll go on and play the regular game as scheduled.

I'll be back there on Friday.