Maybe a higher power is on the side of the Angels.
Heavy rains and a brutal forecast forced MLB — smartly — to postpone Game 6 of the ALCS between the Yankees and Angels last night, moving it to tonight. First pitch is slated for 8:20 at Yankee Stadium.
If a Game 7 is required, it will be played tomorrow night, beginning at 7:57.
Officials made the call to postpone Game 6 although they were leery of making the move because the Angels potentially could benefit. The possibility of a Game 7 tomorrow night would allow the Angels to gain an advantage because they could start ace John Lackey on three days’ rest. Lackey would not have started a Game 7 if it were played tonight.
The Angels’ options other than Lackey for Game 7 are Jered Weaver and Scott Kazmir, so it’s easy to see where they benefited from the rain more than the Yankees. Even if the Yankees would have CC Sabathia on five days’ rest.
Of course, because the Yankees, who still lead the series 3-2, lost Game 5 after being nine outs away from their first World Series date since 2003, they didn’t want to hear about the Lackey advantage.
“Our focus is completely on Game 6,” said manager Joe Girardi, who will stay with veteran Andy Pettitte against left-hander Joe Saunders instead of using Sabathia on normal rest. “Does it give one team an advantage or not? I don’t know. Maybe the extra day will help us more, I’m not really sure. I am sure there will be a lot written about it depending on what happens [tonight] but I don’t know.”
Angels manager Mike Scoiscia said every one of his pitchers, Lackey included, will be available in relief of Saunders tonight. Beyond that he was very vague.
“We’ll get through Game 6, there is no sense talking about a Game 7,” Scoiscia said.
If the Angels even the series tonight, Scoiscia will be roasted if he doesn’t start Lackey in Game 7.
“You are getting too far ahead of yourselves. We have to win [tonight],” said Lackey, who is 0-1 with a 3.65 ERA and has given up 15 hits in 12 1/3 innings in two ALCS starts. “Joe did just fine last time, he’ll be OK. I want to be in the game as often as I can be in the game. I want to go as often as I can get in there. That’s no disrespect for the other guys. Hopefully I won’t be needed [tonight].”
According to Mariano Rivera, last night’s postponement meant nothing to the Yankees.
“It’s one day off, that’s it,” Rivera said of the latest day of inactivity in a postseason full of them. “We have been through this. We have to wait. I was ready to play [last night] and will be ready [tonight].”
Nick Swisher, who Girardi had in his lineup despite a frigid bat, said a higher power than MLB was involved.
“The man upstairs didn’t think it was time for us to play,” Swisher said. “We were ready to play, but rain happens and we don’t have a roof.”
Girardi could have tinkered with his rotation, starting Sabathia tonight and keeping Pettitte for a possible Game 7. However, Girardi loves Pettitte’s postseason experience: He’s the all-time leader in postseason starts with 37.
“I never thought they would skip me,” said Pettitte, whose 15 postseason wins are tied with John Smoltz for the most. “I would hope they have a lot of confidence in me and hope they think I can get this game and we can win this game with me on the mound.”
If they can’t, the Yankees will face the reality that last night’s rain will mean it brought Lackey into play.