MLB's 9 Worst Weather Games

It's hard to believe that the 2011 regular season is just a couple of weeks from coming to a close. With the end of this season, however, we get to enjoy one of the best parts of the year—October baseball.

Teams that have spent the entire season working their way towards the top of the standings are being rewarded with extra games and a shot at a World Championship.

With the October glory comes the potential for playing in unfavorable conditions. Be it wind, rain, snow, sleet or a combination of them all, postseason baseball sets the table for yet another obstacle before reaching the top.

Here are some of the most unfavorable weather conditions that baseball has been faced with.

1997 World Series: Cleveland Indians vs. Florida Marlins

The Florida Marlins encountered an unfamiliar foe during Game 3 of the 1997 World Series—snow.

Both teams faced flurries and unseasonably cold temperatures during batting practice, and the temperature at the start of the game was a chilly 38 degrees.

Despite facing wind chills as low as 15 degrees during the game, the Marlins were able to outslug the Indians 14-13 and would ultimately return for Florida to win the series in seven games.

Game 5 of 2008 World Series Is Halted Due to Rain on Monday...

With the Philadelphia Phillies poised to close out their World Series championship with a Game 5 defeat of the Tampa Bay Rays, rain provided a roadblock.

Heavy downpours caused the game to be suspended, although it wasn't without controversy as many in Philadelphia were upset that the officiating crew waited until the Rays tied the game before halting play.

...and Due to Snow on Tuesday

The rain continued in Philadelphia into the next day and would ultimately transition to flurries, causing the completion of Game 5 to move to the following day.

The Phillies would win the game by a score of 4-3 on October 29, giving them the title.

2009 NLDS: Philadelphia Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies

Fighting temperatures in the mid-30s and strong gusts of wind, the Phillies and Rockies found themselves playing in some of the most uncomfortable conditions imaginable.

To make matters worse, the game lasted more than four hours. The Phillies would win the game and eventually move onto the World Series where they would fall to the New York Yankees in six games.

2001 World Series: New York Yankees vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

Labeled as one of the games of the decade by ESPN.com, Game 7 of the 2001 World Series featured a unique world series appearance—a dust storm.

In the seventh inning of the game dust, garbage began swirling in the field as the teams fought for a world title.

The dust would then give way to rain, another occurrence not exactly anticipated in Arizona. Despite the Yankees taking the lead in the eighth inning, the Diamondbacks would ultimately come out on top to take the series.

1996 Yankees Home Opener

With the city of New York in early proposals for what is now the home of the Yankees, April 9, 1996, marked opening day in old Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 7-3 to take the opener, but the game on the field took a back seat to the snow that was falling on it.

1911 World Series: Philadelphia Athletics vs. New York Giants

The Philadelphia Athletics managed to win the 1911 World Series by defeating the New York Giants in six games.

Most notable from the series of 100 years ago was the six consecutive days of rainfall in Philadelphia that caused the longest delay between games in World Series history.

That record stood until 1989 when the two franchises met again as the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics. An earthquake in the Bay Area would cause a 10-day delay during the series, setting the new record for the longest layover.

1961 MLB All-Star Game

The 1961 MLB All-Star Game was played in San Francisco, and those on the field certainly felt the effects of the coastal 'breeze'.

Winds during the game were so strong that National League pitcher Stu Miller was knocked off the mound in the ninth inning and charged with a balk while the tying run stood at third base.

The American League would take the lead in the 10th inning but ultimately lose the game thanks to consecutive hits from Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente.

2007 Indians Home Opener

The 2007 Cleveland Indians opened up the season in Chicago and took two of three games before heading to the seemingly friendly confines of Cleveland for a series against the Anaheim Angels.

Mother Nature had other plans. After attempting to play the first game of the series, heavy snowfall would halt the game in it's tracks.

The weather conditions and outlook were so poor that the series was moved to Milwaukee and played in Miller Park.