World Series Game 5 is supposed to resume (finally) on Wednesday night, but there are some questions that remain about what will happen at Citizens Bank Park.
There are the non-baseball-related issues:
- What about the normal pomp and circumstance of a World Series game? Flyovers? The DirecTV blimp?
- Will there be a National Anthem? Hall is probably feeling better and could belt out the "Star Spangled Banner."
- What about the ceremonial first pitch? Maybe Bud Selig can toss the first pitch -- the Phillies phans would love that.
- Will they do the player announcements where the teams line up along the baselines?
- Are there still plans to have a seventh inning stretch only an inning into the continued game?
- What about tickets? MLB has released some information on getting back into Game 5.
- Will the concession stands and vendors continue to sell beer after the seventh inning? Imagine if the game goes to extra innings and they only sold beer for an inning and a half!
There are also some big baseball-related issues that should be settled between the lines:
- Who will Phils manager Charlie Manuel pinch hit for Cole Hamels to start the bottom of the sixth? It looks like he will -- who will bat remains a mystery.
- Will either team opt to use a starting pitcher for the rest of this game?
- How many pitching changes will there be? Rays manager Joe Maddon might go to the mound before his pitcher Grant Balfour throws a single pitch.
- Will the bullpens be up to start the game? A sight rarely seen outside of late season Mets game.
Of course the most important question is one that will definitely be answered at some point -- will these Phillies finally break the championship curse by winning the World Series?
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Answers to these questions and more once Game 5 finally comes to an end.