More fallout from Friday's Opening Day debacle:
Notes: Inclement weather taunts Tribe. Anthony Castrovince, indians.com
The lake effect snow machine is normally associated more with November or December than April, but that's what caused yesterday's cancellation.
Given that conditions were forecast to remain constant through the weekend, there was no incentive to postpone the home opener. Because the Mariners come to Cleveland but once this year, the games had to be made up either later in the series or on a common off-day. If the opponent had been Chicago or Minnesota, this wouldn't be a big deal - in fact, a July day-night doubleheader would probably be better for the box office.
MLB should have thought of this beforehand. Playing in the north this early in the season is asking for trouble, and scheduling a team's only visit this early is practically inviting it.
But the biggest loser in this mess was Victor Martinez, who is slated to go on the Disabled List before the Indians' next game, whenever that is.
Snow stops opener as Tribe poised to win. Andy Call, Canton Repository
Who knew Paul Byrd and Billy Beane had something in common?
Byrd was obviously frustrated with how the game ended. After all, he had waited out three lengthly delays, including two delays after the game had started, and was one strike from at the very least notching a win, and possibly an abbreviated no-hitter. Mike Hargrove acted in the best interest of his team; he knew the rammifications of finishing the top of the fifth: a probable Mariners loss.
In retrospect, the only one who's really culpable for the events was the MLB schedulers. The rest of the principals were acting rationally:
The ballpark personel knew that the weather was going to be bad all weekend, and that rescheduling any of the games was going to be very difficult.
The umpires knew that there was a possibility of getting the game in, and so allowed the game to continue, but the snow continued to fly. They also knew that there are legitimate safety issues when playing in snow squalls, and that although Hargrove's complaint was timed rather conveiniently for the Mariners, it was a valid concern.