Got a comment from a reader:
BPALM said…
Get over the day game for opening day. It is a union rule that the Padres cannot play a day game after traveling cross-country to NY. This has nothing to do with the Mets and/or ESPN
I don’t think it has anything to do with anyone, I just think it sucks. I decided to research what BPALM said and the only thing I could find was this which suggests he’s right on fact…
Teams are entitled to an off day for trips from the Pacific Time Zone to the Eastern Time Zone. The Commissioner is empowered to grant seven exceptions to this rule each season, no more than one affecting each club, to allow a club to play an East Coast night game the day after a West Coast day game. Except for transcontinental trips, off days are to be non-travel days whenever possible. As a result, teams head straight for the airport after the last game of a series, even if it’s a 16-inning night game, rather than return to their hotel to rest and travel the next day.
Assuming the above is correct (I’m a blogger not a lawyer), then Bud has already at least stepped in to grant one of his seven exemptions, or the game would be played on Tuesday (which it probably should have been). That being said, the “legality” or it overlooks one thing:
The court of public opinion.
If there were a massive public outcry (which there won’t be at this point), the Mets could take the high ground of “we asked the Commish” – who then could blame the union. I’d love to see the union tell Joe Fan how hard it would be to play at 4:05 instead of 7:05. Waaaahhhh.
Not gonna happen, but seems like I’m not the only out there who’d prefer a day game. I’m going to hold out hope the Post publishes the article (they interviewed us) and that Boomer and Carton wake up to a slow news day. Ya Gotta Belive right?
