The Philadelphia Phillies thought they were going to become the first team ever to clinch a World Series by having the deciding game be called due to rain. The Phillies had a 2-1 lead after the fifth inning in the pouring rain of game 5, up 3 games to 1 over the Tampa Bay Rays. With Commissioner Bud Selig crossing his fingers in the stands, Carlos Pena drove in BJ Upton in the top of the sixth to tie the game and save baseball’s integrity.

It was announced after Tuesday night’s game that Bud Selig would have “bent the rules” in order to avoid an abbreviated game had the Rays not tied the score in the top of the sixth inning. The game would have been suspended, regardless of the score, and a full nine innings would have been played.

This forces baseball fans, and especially Phillies fans, to wonder what would the response to Selig’s actions have been if BJ Upton didn’t score the tying run before the game was suspended? Does Bud Selig have the authority to bend the rules where he sees necessary?

The rules clearly state the game should have been called after the fifth inning of game 5 because: 1) the field was clearly not playable with the heavy down pour and 2) the Rays had their opportunity to bat in the top of the fifth inning.

What is the point of having rules if one person can change them at any time? 

Let’s take it one step further and assume Selig suspended the game with the Phillies leading 2-1 in the sixth inning, and the Rays came back to win not only game 5 but clinch the series in game 7. What would Selig’s defense be if he literally took away Philadelphia’s first World Series Championship in 28 years? 

Bud, the rules have been written for a reason. So the players, umpires, and baseball officials follow them. You should have learned from the last time you were put in the position to intervene with a nationally televised game (2002 All-Star Game that ended in a tie due to Selig’s decision to halt the game due to lack of pitching durability for both teams).