Fans, media fail to face reality: There is no "Guardian of the Game."

"WHAT once would have been out of the question as a matter of common sense and common decency has happened once again. Friday's Yanks-Tigers game began at 11:06 p.m., after a four-hour rain delay.

• Baseball sure could use a Commissioner. What's that? It has one?

But what kind of Commissioner would allow a four-hour rain delay? What kind of Guardian of The Game would allow a game to begin after 11 p.m. and end at 3:32 a.m.? Whose best interests could he represent?

On Ch. 9, Michael Kay, just before the first pitch, called the entire episode "disgraceful." Al Leiter agreed. How could anyone disagree?

And then, minutes later, Kay and Leiter were talking about how much they love baseball's wild card.

• Could they not make the connection? The wild card was created for the same reason this game began after 11 p.m. - to serve the financial interests of team owners, Bud Selig's enablers. A house full of sold tickets, no doubleheaders, national TV deals to consider. Game on.

• And Friday's 11:06 p.m. start and 3:32 a.m. end is why "variable ticket pricing" - predetermined values of games resulting in jacked up face values based on the date and opponent - must end. Friday, whatever those tickets cost a fan, they were, by game time, worthless.

Baseball sure could use a Commissioner."

• From NY Post column by Phil Mushnick, 8/27/07, "Delay of Game."

AHA! Amid avoidance of the real problem (the tactic of which is to twist everything or at least change the subject to somehow bash the Yankees) media reports said, "it was up to the umpires," or "this could easily have happened if the game were at Yankee stadium and no one would've complained about it." This column reminded me of another point, "VARIABLE TICKET PRICING," meaning it's possible the house that night was paying top dollar.... (sm)

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