NPB's rain-shortened games award victory to the team leading after five complete innings. This rule means weather can decide outcomes that nine innings might have reversed. Who has been saved by rain, and who has been robbed?
NPB cancels 20 to 30 games annually due to rain. Ticket refunds, food waste, staff costs, and makeup game expenses create losses far larger than most imagine.
Analyzing the tactical dimensions of rain delays in NPB, from pitching change decisions and body temperature management to historic games transformed by weather interruptions.