Pour Disposition

DURING ONE uncommonly inclement spring training in Arizona many years ago, the Milwaukee Brewers' manager was asked how badly the team's preparation would be compromised if still more precipitation interrupted the following day's workout.

Replied plain-spoken Harvey Kuenn: "If it bleepin' rains, we're bleepin' bleeped."

The Phillies are getting to know that feeling a little too well.

Charlie Manuel wasn't quite as blunt last night while waiting out the latest delay, but there's no doubt that all the rotten weather lately is starting to take a toll. "Here lately we've been having a hard time. And as much as I like being at the yard, we've been getting a lot of these days," the Phillies' manager said with a sigh. "The players are all of a sudden spending 12 to 15 hours a day here. That's not good."

Two weekends ago, the Phillies scrambled to deal with a constantly changing forecast. Eventually they managed to get one game in and then fled to Cincinnati ahead of the gathering storm.

Last weekend at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, there was a long delay before the middle game got under way, disrupting Cole Hamels' pregame routine.

And last night when Vance Worley was supposed to be throwing his first pitch to Braves leadoff hitter Michael Bourn, the white tarp was on the field and a steady rain was falling, highlighted by the bright night lights illuminating the empty field.

And everybody waited. And waited. And waited some more.

They waited almost 2 hours until, finally, at 8:57 p.m., the game began. In a steady drizzle. In front of a few thousand hardy fans.

That wasn't ideal. As Manuel put it, "If we're going to stay here 'til 1, 2 3, 4 o'clock in the morning, when does a doubleheader become more appealing?"

As it turned out, the 6-3 win over the Braves ended at 12:02 a.m. But you get the idea.

Besides, a possible two-in-one had plenty of drawbacks, too. If they hadn't been able to get last night's game in, a day-night doubleheader today wouldn't have made anybody happy.

Not fans who held tickets for last night's game who likely would have found it difficult to show up this afternoon instead. (Even though the game was played, fans holding tickets for last night have been offered the opportunity to exchange them for selected games next April.)

Not the Braves, who already have a doubleheader scheduled against the Mets tomorrow.