There hasn't been anything quite like it since an earthquake interrupted the 1989 World Series between Oakland and San Francisco. And even then, each game was played in its entirety.
Baseball was praised for its handling of that sensitive situation almost 2 decades ago. Baseball has been pelted by criticism for its reaction to Monday night's storm. Maddon will not join in the carping.
"Everybody got together and made their best attempt," he said. "When it comes down to the weather, it's kind of a difficult thing to foresee. I think we had the forecast, all the information, and it just didn't work out.
"I don't have a problem with it. I mean that sincerely. It's just an unfortunate turn of events, weatherwise, but we'll figure it out and get through it. It's just the way it is. There's no crying about it. I'm not really one to point fingers. I've never been that person. I'm not going to do it now."
When the Rays showed up at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night, they were scheduled to fly back to Tampa after the game. If they won, it would have been to resume play, down three games to two, with Game 6 tonight. If they lost, it would have been to begin their postseason.
The weather scrambled their plans. They already had checked out of their Center City hotel, and not enough rooms were available. Their luggage had to be retrieved from the chartered flight waiting at the airport.
They ended up at the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington, and most of the traveling party spent the day enjoying its Old World charm. A bus was available to take any players who wanted to go to the ballpark for treatment, to throw or to hit in the indoor cages, but Maddon expected few, if any, to make the trip.
