The teams will travel Friday and then Game 3 in Denver on Saturday is set for 9:37 p.m. Eastern.
A start time for a potential Game 4 on Sunday has not yet been announced, although a later start seems likely. The Rockies will be the only team farther west than the Central time zone to host weekend games. The Angels and Dodgers both have home field and will host midweek games. The Denver Broncos host New England at 4:15, but while the two Denver stadiums are in the same general vicinity, games could be played at both sites at the same time.
"This stinks," began another comment. "How can those of us who work for a living watch the games? It's great that school kids will be able to see them, but this is ridiculous. You live and die with the Phils all season and now you have to miss Game 1 and 2. I'm a die-hard, but I have obligations at work."
In 2007, the Phillies hosted the first two games of the Division Series against the Rockies with game times of 3:07. Game 3 in Denver started at 9:37. Game 4 was scheduled for 10:07, but the Rockies swept.
Last year, the Phillies hosted Milwaukee in Games 1 and 2. Game 1 began at 3:07, with Game 2 at 6:07. Game 3 in Milwaukee began at 6:37 on Saturday with the Phillies clinching in Game 4 with a 1 p.m. start Sunday (aired by TBS opposite the Eagles-Redskins game on Fox).
(In case you are wondering, the Eagles are scheduled to play Tampa Bay at 1 p.m. next Sunday, but there is virtually no chance of a conflict with the Phillies playing in the Mountain time zone.)
Game times are set by TBS, which is airing all the Division Series games, and Major League Baseball. The bottom line is some fans are going to get a rough draw. Factors such as market size and time zone play a role in the decision-making process. Denver is the second-smallest market of the playoff teams. Only St. Louis is smaller.
What seems to be rankling Phillies fans is that they have been here before.
"As usual, MLB and the TV networks don't give a rip about the fans who support a team all year long," another commenter wrote. "You watch about 95 percent of the games, but when it's playoff time, you get screwed."
For the positive spin came this, "One of the many benefits of the recession is that I will have no problem watching these weekday afternoon games."
