MLB weather rules
 

What rules does MLB use when determining to delay or end a game. I'm watching the Tigers-LAA game and there was huge lightening bolt in the background they played on. At any other level I know of this game would be delayed or ended (14-6 in the 9th) and everyone would be cleared. In college, high school, rec ball and everything else, this would not be allowed, why is MLB so different?

This doesn't exactly answer the question, but maybe it does: Kids playing baseball with aluminum bats out in an open field is slightly different than anything going on in a stadium in an urban setting where the opponents travelled 2,300 miles to get there.

Also, typical park district liability and ThorGuard.

The MLB crews likely have the assistance of professional meteorologists to help them make decisions. We simply err on the side of safety every time.

Umm, you think that an aluminum bat is a greater conductor than the 100 light posts, score boards, monitors, etc. with miles and miles of wires running under the stadium?

A) He didn't say that...

B) You didn't read the entire post.

I've played football games with lightning in the sky when I would never have continued a baseball or softball game - solely due to information from Thorguard, which would not have been present at your typical baseball game.

Even with Thorguard (and similar), if I see or hear lightning I stop the baseball game. If the alarm goes off, I stop the game (even if I dont' see / hear the lightning). Either one is sufficient.

You can hear lightning? Amazing!!! ;)

You can see lightning that's 30 miles away.

We use ThorGuard at two parks I umpire at. Our policy is simple. If you see lightning, hear thunder, or the the system goes off, you are DONE for a minimum 30 minutes from the last time it is seen or heard. We also say from when the system deactivates as an extra precaution.

Nope - but no one is holding the light posts. And they're grounded and prepared for a strike.

If lightning causes the sound aren't you thus hearing lightning? :D

But lightning doesn't cause thunder.

Electrical discharge causes both lightning (visual) and thunder (audible) - the two occur simultaneously.

You can hear the effects of it, which is obviously what I meant. If you have a better point to make, please do so.

Otherwise, I stand by my comment. Feel free to do it differently in your games.

The first part was humor.
The second, however... if you have the machine, use the machine --- it will detect potential issues sooner than you might if you only have visual and audible evidence to go by ... and it will also tell you lightning you may have seen 30 miles from it's source may or may not be an issue.

If you don't have the machine - I wholely agree with the strategy of waiting 30 minutes after the last visible discharge.

I have had several instnaces where the lightning was relatively close and the machine hasn't gone off. I'll continue to use both items.

FWIW, UIL policy is to follow the 30 second flash to bang with no mention of a lightning detector. I err on the side of caution with lightning. If the lightning detector is going off, we go by that if the 30 second flash to bang has not been observed. If the 30 second flash to bang has been observed, I don't care what the detector says.

If I had my way, any sight of lightning or thunder would result in a suspension of activities but that might not be so practical for this area.