FEBRUARY 16, 2007 | TODAY IN BASEBALL TAKES US BACK TO 2007 IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. Major League Baseball changed the rules for the first time in 11 years on this date in 2007. The Rules Committee decided that if a “regulation” game is interrupted because weather or some kind mechanical problem that forces the game to stop, and the game is tied, it is a “suspended” game and will resume from that point. A regulation game is “suspended” and resumed from that point if the visiting team has gone ahead but the home team has not completed an equal number of innings.
Under the old rule the game would have to start over and all statistics would be wiped clean if a regulation game was stopped with a tie score.
A “regulation” game is one that has gone at least 4½ innings if the home team is ahead or 5 innings if the home team is behind.
The rules are a little different in the postseason or any games that have significance to the postseason. All games stopped due to weather are suspended and completed later from the point of the termination.
Contributing Sources:
Los Angeles Times, February 17, 2007
Suspended game