Nov. 2 -- READER POLL: "WHAT'S NEXT?"

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, as anyone who knows me can attest, I'm a big fan of The West Wing. When it comes to television dramas, it doesn't get much better. In particular, I love the writing. Aaron Sorkin's dialogue is crisp and witty, his characters idealistic and complex. I was flipping channels yesterday when I came across a re-run of an early episode from Season 1. In the final scene, after his press secretary brings him the results of a poll that had the White House sweating, President Bartlet smiles, looks at his staff and says, "What's next?"

That's kind of how I imagine what went on yesterday at the Bank.

I couldn't get anyone from the Phillies to confirm it yesterday, but indications are that team president David Montgomery has chosen Ruben Amaro Jr. to succeed retiring GM Pat Gillick. An announcement is expected tomorrow. No surprise. At times over the past two years, Amaro has been the voice of the front office, and for most of the season, we have assumed he would replace Gillick. It wouldn't surprise me to see Mike Arbuckle, the Phillies' other longtime assistant GM, move on to another organization, and that would be no small loss considering Arbuckle has headed a scouting/player development staff that drafted/developed Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Brett Myers, Ryan Madson, Cole Hamels and others. But, after giving the news to Amaro, I picture Montgomery smiling, perhaps glancing at designs for the Phillies' World Series rings and saying, "What's next?"

And that's exactly what we tried to explore in today's News Journal.

Now that the GM situation is resolved, the Phillies will turn their attention to their personnel. By my count, they already have $63.25 million committed to nine players: Myers ($12 million), Brad Lidge ($11.5 million), Adam Eaton ($8.5 million), Utley ($7.5 million), Rollins ($7 million), Geoff Jenkins ($6.75 million), Pedro Feliz ($5 million), J.C. Romero ($4 million), and Matt Stairs ($1 million). They also would be responsible for Jim Thome's $3 million buyout if the White Sox do not pick up their $13 million option on his contract. And while I'm sure they will try to unload Eaton, their only solution may be to release him, in which case, they would be responsible for his 2009 salary, less what he is paid by the team that signs him. Regardless, the Phillies will be on the hook for serious moolah.

They have 10 arbitration-eligible players, who made a combined $20.14 million in 2008 and could see their salaries raised to an aggregate $30 million or so: Howard ($10 million), Joe Blanton ($3.7 million), Jayson Werth ($1.7 million), Madson ($1.4 million), Chad Durbin ($900,000), Eric Bruntlett ($600,000), Hamels ($500,000), Shane Victorino ($480,000), Greg Dobbs ($440,000) and Clay Condrey ($420,000).

So, before they talk money with free agents Pat Burrell ($14 million in 2008), Jamie Moyer ($3.5 million) and Scott Eyre ($3.5 million), figure their payroll sits at about $95 million. Last week, Montgomery told me that ownership would be open to increasing payroll from the club-record $104 million on Opening Day 2008. But how far north of that number are the Phillies willing to go? It could determine who comes back and whether the Phillies make a play for one of the big-money free agents (Manny Ramirez and CC Sabathia are available for the highest bidder). It also may determine if the Phillies make a long-term contract offer to Hamels or Howard. My gut feeling (strictly a gut feeling) is that Hamels is more likely to get a long-term deal than Howard.

Amaro, meanwhile, is heading to the GM meetings, which begin tomorrow in Dana Point, Calif. So, here's my question to you: If you were him, what would be your top priorities for the offseason?

***
On a personal note, thanks so much to everyone who has read and/or commented on our little blog this season. Whether you realize it or not, you are the ones who make The Blog whatever it is. You generate discussion, and sometimes, you even spark a story idea or two for me. I plan to keep The Blog fresh and lively throughout the offseason, and as always, I welcome your comments, either here or at slauber@delawareonline.com.

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone.

Oct. 31 -- ROLLINS SLAMS METS ... AGAIN

BY SCOTT LAUBER

After being hailed as a World Series champion and riding down Broad Street in the victory parade of his dreams, Jimmy Rollins couldn't resist taking one more jab at the Phillies' fiercest division rival.

"In the offseason, I heard a lot about the New York Mets," Rollins said. "Johan Santana is a great pitcher. But it takes more than one player to bring home a championship."

Trading for Santana, the two-time Cy Young Award-winning left-hander, was supposed to put the Mets over the top in the National League East. And although Santana posted a league-best 2.53 ERA and 206 strikeouts in a league-leading 234-1/3 innings (and went 2-0 with a 2.97 ERA against the Phillies), the Mets still finished second, three games behind the Phils.

Oct. 31 -- SAYONARA TAGUCHI, GORDON

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Well, that didn't take long.

The Phillies came off the field a few minutes ago, and they already have announced that they declined their 2009 club options on outfielder So Taguchi and reliever Tom Gordon. Neither move is a surprise. Taguchi was ineffective in a bench role, while Gordon recently underwent surgery on his elbow. It was likely Pat Gillick's last decision as general manager. His contract expires today.

Taguchi made $1.05 million this season. He had a $1.25 million option. Instead, he will receive a $150,000 buyout. Gordon made $5.5 million this season. He had a $4.5 million club option. Instead, he will receive a $1 million buyout.

Oct. 31 -- EVERYBODY LOVES A PARADE

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, the on-field ceremony just wrapped up here at Citizens Bank Park, and without a doubt, Chase Utley stole the show. Soft-spoken (when he speaks) all season, Utley let loose -- and drove the censors crazy -- when he addressed the crowd.

"World champions," he said. "World [bleeping] champions."

Only, on live television, they didn't have time to insert the "bleep."

The crowd went wild. So, too, did Jayson Werth, who stood up and raised his arms. By the way, did anybody else think Werth looked more like the drummer of a rock band than a right fielder?

A few other remarks that caught my attention:

Cole Hamels: "The one thing I can't wait to do is go down to that Broad Street parade again and again and again."

Charlie Manuel (in his best Rocky voice): "Yo, man, we love you."

More later.

Oct. 31 -- HAMELS ON LETTERMAN

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, as you may have seen last night if you stayed up late, Cole Hamels read the Top 10 List on "The Late Show With David Letterman." That's what World Series MVPs do, ya know. Anyway, if you didn't catch it, here you go, straight from the home office. The category is, top 10 things that went through Cole Hamels' mind after winning the World Series:

10. Maybe I'll get to be on "Dancing With The Stars."
9. Can I wear my cup in the offseason?
8. The Rays collapsed faster than my 401(k).
7. How cool a name is Cole Hamels?
6. This must be how the Yankees used to feel.
5. Is the Phillie Phanatic hitting on my wife?
4. Seriously, how cool a name is Cole Hamels?
3. How can I celebrate when the nation's economic output is the weakest it's been since the third quarter of 2001?
2. I hope John McCain will start calling me "Cole the Pitcher."
1. Now maybe I'll get to appear on Leno?

See it for yourself.

Oct. 30 -- PARADE PLANS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Just got back from a press conference with team president David Montgomery and Mayor Michael Nutter, where most of this was covered:

PARADE PROCESSION: The World Series Champs procession begins at noon at 20th and Market, will proceed east on Market Street and continue south on 15th Street. The parade will then continue around the south side of City Hall and onto South Broad Street, where it will head to the sports complex. The procession will make a left on Hartranft Street into the sports complex, where fans with tickets can watch a post-game celebration taking place at Citizens Bank Park and simulcast at Lincoln Financial Field.

CELEBRATION AT CITIZENS BANK PARK: The primary post-parade celebration will take place at Citizens Bank Park, and will also be broadcast live at Lincoln Financial Field (where there will be a brief appearance by Phillies players). Gates at both facilities will open at 10:00 a.m., and fans are invited to arrive early to watch the parade travel throughout Center City via the large videoboards at both facilities. Tickets are needed for entry to both Citizens Bank Park and Lincoln Financial Field, and can be obtained through an exclusive online opportunity at http://www.phillies.com/. Starting at 3 p.m. today, each fan will have the opportunity to obtain up to four complimentary tickets. There are a limited number of tickets for the celebration. If you do not have a ticket please enjoy the celebration from the parade route, or from home through live local television broadcasts.

TRANSPORTATION AND SAFETY: Please be patient while traveling throughout Philadelphia. Due to the large number of people expected to celebrate, it will take some time to get around the City. Fans are urged to take public transit and not to drive down to the City if it can be avoided.

Oct. 30 -- CHAMPS!

BY SCOTT LAUBER

It wasn't a dream.

No, it really happened. The Phillies did, in fact, win the World Series last night. Brad Lidge (who else?) threw the final pitch, one more hellacious slider for the ages, and Eric Hinske swung through it, naturally. Lidge dropped to his knees, raised his arms and got gang-tackled by his teammates. Then, they partied, long into the night, a celebration, 28 years in the making, in the ballpark and on the streets.

Amazing, isn't it?

Truly, I didn't see this coming.

On Sept. 10, the Phillies lost to the Marlins, 7-3, at the Bank and slipped to a season-high 3-1/2 games behind the Mets in the NL East. That was when I thought it might be over. Turns out, Chris Coste was having similar thoughts. So was Gary Matthews, the Phillies' broadcaster with whom I'm writing a book about the '08 season (now scheduled to be released by Thanksgiving). The Phillies lacked something. Nobody knew what, exactly, but there definitely was a missing ingredient.

And, then, something happened. They swept the Brewers in a four-game series, pulling even in the wild-card race. They went to Atlanta and swept a three-game series, inching ahead of the Mets by a half-game. They even won two of three games in Florida, and when Greg Dobbs left the series finale with a cramp in his leg and Pedro Feliz homered after replacing him in the eighth, I knew something special might be happening here. They won the NL East on Sept. 27, then breezed through the Brewers, dominated the Dodgers and reeled in the Rays. Overall, they won 24 of their last 30 games after that Sept. 10 loss, a six-week run that was as impressive as any you'll ever see.

Did they even break a sweat?

And so, you wake up this morning, still disbelieving what you saw last night. Did Ryan Howard really grab the red 2008 pennant out of the Phanatic's hand and lead a victory lap around the outfield? Did Cole Hamels really drive away with the red sports car given to the Series MVP? Did I really walk into Charlie Manuel's office and see him talking to Dallas Green, the only other Phillies manager who knows what he was feeling?

Yeah, it's all true.

Enjoy it.

***
One word about Pat Gillick: Last night, during the on-field trophy presentation, he said something like, "Let's do this again next year!" I couldn't find Gillick amid the champagne and beer celebration, but as I stepped into the elevator to return to the press box, Gillick walked in behind me.

"Let's do it again next year?" I said, inquisitively.

"Well, somebody will do it again next year," he said, smiling.

It won't be Gillick, though. His contract expires tomorrow, and after taking a brief trip to Toronto next week, he and his wife are going on a European vacation, with stops in Paris and Berlin. Gillick has a home in Seattle that he rarely sees and a summer house on Prince Edward Island that he never sees. I don't think he'll ever completely retire from baseball, but at age 71, I think he'd like a job where he can work from PEI during the summers and not have to be at the ballpark every day.

Ruben Amaro Jr. is the favorite to be named GM, possibly by the weekend, and if that happens, he'll face some tough decisions. Do you re-sign Pat Burrell? How about Jamie Moyer? Do you give Hamels a long-term contract? How about Howard? Those are questions, though, for another day, and we'll have plenty during the winter to discuss the answers.

***
Today's News Journal is wall-to-wall Phillies. It starts with the game story, which talks about how the 1980 banner that flies solo above right-center field is going to finally have some company.

-Cole Hamels didn't expect to be named MVP, but it was a well-deserved honor. But, as Kevin Noonan writes (and it's hard to disagree), the MVP should've been shared by the members of the bullpen.

-Kevin Roberts brings us this poignant moment: Lidge and catcher Carlos Ruiz couldn't decide who should keep the ball from the final out, so they gave it to Manuel. Very classy.

-Martin Frank thought it was fitting that the weirdest game in the weirdest season should end with a championship. I couldn't agree more.

-Moyer and Chris Coste have waited a long time for this. So has Burrell, the longest-tenured Phillie and a free-agent-to-be, whose only hit in the World Series couldn't have come at a better time, in perhaps his final at-bat with the Phillies. Speaking of well-timed hits, how about Geoff Jenkins, who re-started Game 5 with a pinch-hit double and pumped his fist like a 10-year-old in a Little League game. Speaking of the re-start, the Phillies couldn't have felt more comfortable putting the game in the hands of their bullpen.

-Within the notebook, Manuel and Green share a moment. Also, there's a word about Chase Utley's play in the seventh inning which may have saved the game.

-The parade down Broad Street will be tomorrow. I'll have more details on that in a few hours. As Peter Bothum writes, this championship heals all the old wounds that plague Phillies fans. The scene at the Bank last night was pure bedlam, and fans were partying in Delaware, too.

-Finally, this championship was a long-time coming for both the Phillies and the region. But, then, we don't have to tell you that, do we?

Oct. 29 -- PHINALLY!

Because pictures are worth 1,000 words.

Oct. 29 -- IT'S JENKINS VS. ... (UPDATED)

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, lefty-swinging Geoff Jenkins is swinging a bat on the on-deck circle, and Rays right-hander Grant Balfour is warming up on the mound. And Balfour is staying in the game to face Jenkins.

There's the answer to the night's first strategical question.

Official scorer Mike Maconi just announced that the total delay time was "46 hours, even." Don't hear that every day.

(Updated, 8:42 p.m.): So far, Charlie Manuel is winning the managerial chess. Jenkins doubled to right-center to open the sixth inning.

Oct. 29 -- ANIMAL HOUSE

By KEVIN NOONAN

Just had a thought -- if the Phillies win tonight, will we see the horses and dogs again?

Anyone who remembers the last time the Phils won the World Series, in 1980, can't forget the sight. In the final innings, with the Phillies protecting a lead and the final victory finally in sight, the cavalry arrived -- mounted Philadelphia policemen ringed the field and police dogs were stationed on top of both dugouts.

The reason for that: Other crowds in other stadiums had reacted to winning championships by charging the field and tearing it up for souvenirs. Well, the Phillies were determined that wasn't going to happen, hence the horses and dogs, which unnerved the players but also discouraged any high-spirited fans.

Needless to say, everybody stayed in his seat and there were no on-field disturbances. As for tonight, well, stay tuned...

Oct. 29 -- BRRRRR!

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Just got upstairs after the Phillies completed the first pre-sixth-inning batting practice in the history of the World Series, and there's one thing to report:

It's COLD.

Evidently, it's about 40 degrees, but I can assure you, down on the field, it feels even colder. Definitely not good hitting weather. "When you hit the ball, a lot of times, your hands sting," Charlie Manuel said. "People say, 'Well, you've got gloves on.' Well, believe me, if you don't hit the ball on the fat part of the bat, you get a sting from it."

So, to me, the first run scored tonight may be the biggest.

By the way, the Phillies are 4-1 this season in games played in sub-50-degree temps. The Rays are 1-5.

***
We continue to hear that Ruben Amaro Jr. will be named the next Phillies GM within the next few days. Of course, none of the Phillies officials will confirm that, but the GM meetings begin Monday and Pat Gillick's three-year contract expires Friday.

Oct. 29 -- RAYS IN WILMINGTON, BY GEORGE

By KEVIN NOONAN

Rays manager Joe Maddon is a big rock 'n roll fan and he usually puts on his headphones and listens to the Rolling Stones before games.

Apparently he also likes a rocker with a local connection, which came to light because the Rays stayed at the Hotel du Pont for two nights after Game 5 was suspended on Monday night.

When Maddon sat down for his pre-game press conference this evening, the first question, from a Tampa Bay writer, was this: "Being down in Wilmington, did that give you a chance to crank up George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers?''

Maddon smiled and replied "That would have been so appropriate. I wish you had been there to remind me. ... I missed that opportunity and I regret it already.''

Oct. 29 -- MADSON WILL "START"

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Moments ago, Charlie Manuel told us that Ryan Madson will pitch the seventh inning. Why Madson? Well, he's the only reliever in the bullpen with extensive experience as a starter. So, he knows the feeling of warming up fresh, without having sat in the bullpen for five or six innings.

We had the rare -- unprecedented, even -- opportunity to ask Manuel and Joe Maddon in-game strategy questions. Predictably, neither took the bait. Manuel wouldn't announce his pinch-hitter to open the bottom of the sixth inning, but I'm thinking it'll be Geoff Jenkins. Maddon said only that Grant Balfour will "start" the sixth, but he wouldn't say that Balfour will actually throw a pitch. Everyone is presuming that rookie lefty David Price will pitch in this game. How soon, we're not sure.

Here's Maddon's quandry: Chase Utley is the fourth hitter due in the sixth. Ideally, you'd want Price to face Utley and then Ryan Howard. But the Rays' pitcher is the fourth hitter due ini the seventh, and more ideally, you'd want Price to face more than two batters before having to pinch-hit for him. Maddon, in fact, said Price is good for about 50 pitches tonight.

Either way, it seems Maddon will have to make the tougher decisions early in the game. That, and the fact that the Phillies are leading the series 3-1, prompted Manuel to say, "I wouldn't trade positions."

Neither would I.

More in a bit.

Oct. 29 -- IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, the sun finally has broken through here at the Bank, and the resumption of the final 3-1/2 innings of Game 5 is only 3-1/2 hours away. We could obsess, if we choose, about Bud Selig's decision Monday night. To me, though, it's more interesting to talk about what's going to happen tonight.

There's no precedent for this. Never before has a World Series game started and not reached a resolution. So, really, it's anybody's guess how this will play out. One thing is for certain: When play resumes -- at the earliest, 8:37 tonight -- the Phils will pinch-hit for Cole Hamels. The identity of that pinch-hitter will depend largely on whether Rays manager Joe Maddon decides to leave right-hander Grant Balfour on the mound or to turn to another of his relievers, most likely David Price, the rookie lefty with the mid-90s fastball and the starter's pedigree. Regardless, Maddon intends to save ace right-hander James Shields for a possible Game 6 start. And Manuel will have to counter with an appropriate pinch-hitter, likely a lefty (Greg Dobbs?, Matt Stairs?) if Balfour stays in the game or a right-hander (So Taguchi?, Eric Bruntlett?) if the Rays go with Price.

Charlie Manuel said yesterday that he plans to put the game in the hands of his bullpen, rather than Game 6 starter Brett Myers. And the Phillies relievers have capable hands (or arms), posting the best bullpen ERA (3.19) in the National League during the regular season.

Beyond that, it will be a sprint to the ninth inning for the Phils and Rays -- and a chess match between Manuel and Maddon.

Should be fascinating.

Oct. 28 -- BLAME IT ON THE RAIN

BY SCOTT LAUBER

Ryan Lawrence, of the Delaware County Times, shared this with me, so I thought I'd share it with you. If nothing else, it's an excuse to listen to some vintage Milli Vanilli (is there such a thing?).

Oct. 28 -- MANUEL SPEAKS

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, with some time to digest what happened last night (and, presumably, to calm himself down, too), Charlie Manuel just answered a few questions. Mostly, he said that he agreed with Bud Selig's decision to postpone the game and that he was briefed before the game that the teams would play nine innings, regardless of whether the game was official when the postponement occurred.

"I was down in the room after the top of the sixth when we met with the Commissioner and the umpires, the GMs, the managers of each team, and I came up and watched the [press conference] with the commissioner on TV. I totally agree with what he said. There were some things that went on during the course of the game that I didn't like, like [losing] my pitcher. But I definitely agreed with everything that happened. I agreed that the game needed to be stopped. The conditions were unplayable. ... There comes a time when there had to be a decision made on when to stop it. I'm a manager, so I can voice an opinion. There's a lot of opinions going on there. They could've stopped when the field started showing water on it. Of course, the conditions were unbearable to play. Jimmy Rollins, more than likely, he'll get to that ball [hit by B.J. Upton in the sixth]. He makes that play quite a bit. I felt like they did what they had to do. I go along with that. That doesn't mean some of the thing that happened, that I had to like them.

"We agreed on starting the game because the weather report was it would be a light drizzle, similar to what was going on. It was supposed to be very light. There was a good chance that we definitely could get the whole game in. We understood what was going on. We also knew that once the game started it was going to be a nine-inning game. Everybody's got an opinion. From a manager's standpoint, I'm biased because I want the best that's going to happen for my team. I wasn't the one to make the decision. I'm sure Joe Maddon is going to feel the same way. I do feel like the conditions of the field were where they had to stop the game.

"I know we're going to be ready to play. When we come to the ballpark, we're concentrating on winning tomorrow's game. We've got 3-1/2 innings of baseball. We get to bat four times. They get to bat three. We got 12 outs, they've got 9. We're coming with that mindset. I'll go around and talk to all of our players and get a feel for what they're thinking. I don't think there's going to be any problem at all."

More later.

Oct. 28 -- ABOUT GAME 5

BY SCOTT LAUBER

A few logistical notes from the Phillies about Game 5, tentatively scheduled to resume at 8:37 p.m. tomorrow night, weather-permitting:

Tickets: Fans holding tickets for World Series Game 5 should use their ticket(s) for re-entry. The game is sold out.

Parking: Fans with parking passes from Monday (October 27) or receipts will be permitted to gain re-entry into the parking lots. Fans that no longer have their passes or receipts will need to pay.

Gate openings: All Citizens Bank Park gates will open at 5:30 p.m.

Public transportation: Fans are encouraged to use public transportation. In addition to the World Series game, there is a 6 p.m. Sixers game at the Wachovia Center.

Oct. 28 -- RAYS LOVE WILMINGTON

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, the resumption of Game 5 has been pushed back until at least tomorrow night, which means, of course, that the Rays will be spending another night in lovely Wilmington at the Hotel duPont.

And that's just fine with them.

"Quite frankly it's one of the nicest hotels we've stayed in all year," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "If you're going to have to have a postponement, you might as well stay here. We haven't got out in the town yet, obviously that would be very difficult, the weather is kind of nasty here, too, but great place. People have treated us wonderfully, and again, we'll get out and walk around a bit if the wind dies down."

Asked how the Rays wound up in Wilmington, Maddon said, "Well, Jeff Ziegler, our crack traveling secretary, got on the phone immediately and did a little research. We were pointed in this direction. And finding it was only 30 minutes from the Phillies ballpark, we jumped all over it. There was plenty of rooms. It's a magnificent hotel, I believe it was built one year prior to Fenway Park, actually and walking through the downstairs lobby it's one of those old-fashioned, well kept, actually magnificent European units. So we get here, and it was quite a treat, actually, to be able to come up with this situation in a moment's notice. So we're here right now. We really haven't had a chance to get out in Wilmington yet. But we got fortunate in the fact that this place was available to us. And it was all about Jeff Ziegler pulling it off.

So, do the Rays have dinner plans in Wilmington?

"No, everybody is pretty much on their own," Maddon said. "I'm going to go see my kids. My kids are actually at my niece's house in Philly. We're going to rent a car and go up there. Everybody is pretty much on their own. [Hitting coach] Davey Martinez is going to get dry clothes for his kids, because they got so wet last night. There's all kinds of different motivation to the day right now. There will be pockets of people going out, I'm sure, but for the most part there's not one big function going on.

More in a bit from Charlie Manuel, who will speak with reporters for the first time since before last night's game.

Oct. 28 -- GAME OFF

Oct. 28 -- REIGN DELAY (w/reader poll)

BY SCOTT LAUBER

So, I went to sleep at about 4 a.m., and it was pouring outside. I woke up at about 9:30 a.m., and it's still pouring outside. Meanwhile, the Phillies sit in their homes, the Rays sit in the Hotel du Pont, and the World Series sits, suspended, with no sign of being able to resume any time soon.

Charlie Manuel, Jimmy Rollins, Pat Burrell and several other Phillies players didn't want to discuss the situation last night, leaving us to draw the sensible conclusion that they weren't happy with how the whole thing was handled. To them, it seemed, Bud Selig dropped the ball either by allowing the game to continue for as long as it did under the most adverse conditions imaginable or by starting it in the first place.

Couple of things:

1. Selig said the weather worsened at a more rapid rate than the forecasts indicated. That may be true. I wasn't monitoring Weather.com throughout the day/night, but presumably, Major League Baseball was. In fact, Selig said MLB was getting three separate forecasts, and none predicted the rain would be as steady or intense as it got by the sixth inning. We have little choice but to take him at his word.

2. At some point, Selig decided that he wasn't going to allow the World Series to end in a suspended state. And since America loves conspiracy theories, a popular one going around last night was that Selig waited for the Rays to tie the game before he instructed the umps to call for the tarp because it would've been easier to explain suspending a tie game than an official game with the Phillies leading 2-1. Once again, we'll never know. But I think we can all agree that allowing the Phillies to win the Series in a rain-shortened Game 5 would've been just as ludicrous. By rule, during the regular season, had the game been suspended before the sixth inning began, the Phillies would've won. But, regardless of the rules, a World Series can't be decided that way.

3. Whenever Game 5 resumes, the strategical maneuverings by Manuel and Joe Maddon will be fascinating. Reliever Grant Balfour was on the mound for the Rays when the tarp came out, but it doesn't mean he has to throw the next pitch. Prevailing wisdom is that Maddon will turn to hard-throwing rookie lefty David Price. If that's the case, who might Manuel use to hit for Hamels and open the bottom of the sixth? My bet: So Taguchi. He's right-handed, somewhat fits a leadoff-hitting mold, and unlike left-field defensive replacement Eric Bruntlett or backup catcher Chris Coste, he won't be needed later in the game.

Meanwhile, the Phillies and Rays wait, you wait, I wait, for the rain to finally stop, the field to dry and Game 5 to resume. While we all wait, you tell me: Did Selig handle the situation correctly last night? And if not, how should he have done it?