Rays, Phils World Series Game 3 Tonight – Weather Permitting
Saturday, October 25th, 2008 | MLB, Sports
Game 3 of the World Series is scheduled for Saturday, October 25th at 8:07PM EST, weather permitting. Rain is expected in the Philadelphia area for much of the day on Saturday. The rain should taper off towards the evening and night hours, but it is unclear what shape the field will be in after the steady rain. If the game is played, the Rays will send Matt Garza to the mound, hoping to continue to build off his ALCS success and his ALCS MVP honors. During the ALCS against the Red Sox, Garza won Game 3 and Game 7 limiting the Red Sox to only 1 earned run in each of his starts. He allowed only a combined 8 hits in both games and struck out 14. The Phillies will counter with 45-year old Jamie Moyer. Mayer is a tenured-verteran, but has never pitched on the World Series stage. Moyer has not had a good 2008 post-season run. He lasted only 4 innings in a 4-1 loss to the Brewers in Game 3 of the NLDS and he lasted only 1 1/3 innings in a 7-2 loss to the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLCS. Manuel once again has faith in his trusted veteran to make a good appearance in Game 3 of the World Series, but I’m not so sure of the decision. With the Series tied at 1-1, I would start Joe Blanton in Game 3 to try to get that lead back.
If Game 3 does get rained out, the teams will play the last 5 games of the World Series on consecutive days – Games 3-5 on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday at Citizens Bank Ballpark in Philadelphia and Games 6 and 7 on Wednesday and Thursday at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. If that happens, I would go with Cole Hamels to Start Game 3 on Sunday night in Philly. If you wait to start Hamels on Monday with his full 4-days rest, then if the World Series does go to a 7th game, Hamels would have to pitch on only 2 days’s rest or come out of the bullpen in relief if needed. If he pitches on Sunday on 3 days’ rest, then he could also come back on 3 days’ rest in a Game 7 on Thursday, if necessary. Hamels only needed 104 pitches in his 7-inning win in Game 1 of the World Series and with the Phillies reliable bullpen, even if Hamels only gives you 6 or 7 solid innings on Sunday, Manuel could turn the ball over to Romero, Madsen and Lidge to finish off the job. It will be interesting to see what the managers’ choose to do if World Series Game 3 is rained out tonight.
