What Is A Baseball Rain Delay?
A baseball rain delay happens when a baseball game is postponed, with play continuing either later that day or at a later date. However, it is often unclear to fans how much rain is needed to cancel a game, or why games are cancelled in the first place.
Why Does Baseball Have Rain Delays?
Most of the reasons to delay a baseball game are due to the idea of rain being a safety hazard for the players and fans. Many reasons are also tied to the game becoming impractical to play in heavy rain. Some possible safety concerns due to rain involve:
Players can slip and fall, injuring themselves.
Much standard equipment, such as a player’s cleats, can get stuck in wet ground, leading to possible injuries.
Rain can cause the ball to become slippery, causing erratic throws. A standard speed for a fastball in the MLB is 145 km/h (90 mph) and having such a pitch hit someone can cause serious injury.
Heavy rain can lead to other weather-related safety concerns, such as hail and lightning storms, which can also pose a danger for players and fans.
Rain in cold weather can weaken an immune system. Although rain itself can not make you sick, given the thousands of fans at most major league games, the odds of someone with a compromised immune system being impacted are high.
Aside from the large number of safety concerns with players playing in the rain, there are plenty of reasons why playing baseball in heavy rain can be undesirable.
As mentioned earlier, it is much harder to throw the ball, making things more difficult for the defending team, especially the pitcher.
Equipment might get damaged in the rain.
Playing and watching the game is simply less fun in the rain.
Running in the rain is also less desirable.
The large amount of mud can make it more difficult for the ball to roll and bounce, changing the way fielding works.
However, despite all of the above concerns about rain, causing a rain delay can make fans feel like they didn’t get their full value for a ticket if the game is delayed, cut short, or cancelled. Also, if the delay lasts long enough, fans might leave, even if they think it will be resumed. For this reason, light rain rarely is enough to cancel or delay a game. All of these are factors that must be taken into account when deciding whether or not to cancel a game.
Who Decides If A Baseball Game Is Cancelled Due To Rain?
The umpire overseeing the game decides whether or not to cancel or delay a game.
How Long Are Baseball Rain Delays?
There is a rule that the umpire must wait at least 30 minutes into a delay before calling the game. However, there is no upper limit. Sometimes, umpires have waited two hours or even more for the weather to clear for the game to continue.
How Common Are Rain Delays In Baseball?
Generally, about 40 MLB games per year are postponed to a later date due to rain delay, which averages to one, occasionally two per team per season. However, this number can vary.
When Can A Rain Delayed Baseball Game Be Cut Short?
A game may be called completed before the bottom of the ninth under the following conditions:
It is at least the fifth inning.
The inning is completed, or it is the bottom of the inning and the home team is winning, as the home team bats in the bottom of the inning.
If these conditions are met and the game is called, the game is considered completed, and the current score will be the final score. Otherwise, the game will be rescheduled for a later day, and both teams must work together to reschedule, picking up where the game left off if possible. In rare cases, the game can be declared a tie if the game can not be rescheduled.
How Much Rain Is Needed To Cause A Rain Delay?
Since it is up to the umpire to decide if the game is to be delayed or called due to rain, there is no hard rule, as there will always be some level of judgment on the part of the umpire. It should also be noted that each stadium has its drainage system and different ways of handling rain.
Usually, if there is only a drizzle, the game will continue unimpeded. However, if the rain begins to have a notable impact on the game, such as making it harder for the pitcher to do their job, the game will usually be called. Also, if there is any other safety threat, such as lightning or hail, the game will be put on delay.
