Rainout Surprises Indians’ Catcher Phillips Says That Friday’S Rainfall Was Nothing Where He Comes From

Spokane Indians catcher Paul Phillips couldn’t believe it. A baseball game being rained out.

That’s practically unheard of where he’s from.

Phillips, taken in the ninth round out of the University of Alabama by the Royals this month, thought Spokane eventually could have played its home opener Friday night against the Everett AquaSox.

But the umpire thought differently, calling the game in the bottom of the second inning with the score tied at 1-all after more than a half-hour of frequent lightning and thunder.

Heavy rain followed soon after and the game was concluded Saturday.

Phillips said the Crimson Tide had two rainouts in 1998 and another game was cancelled because of tornadoes.

But most of the time, games were played, he said.

“We played in puddles,” said Phillips, a 6-foot, 180-pounder from Meridian, Miss. “We’re used to pulling tarps on and off the field. We pull the tarps and wait hours. We have to get our games in.”

The Indians don’t have that option. They don’t have tarps to cover the entire infield. During rain, only the pitching mound and home plate are covered. To move a larger tarp, it would take a bigger grounds crew than what the Indians employ.

Phillips learned something new.

“I had no idea they didn’t pull tarps,” he said. “I was hoping to play.”

It was the first rainout for the Indians since September of 1994.

It would have taken much more rain in Mississippi or Alabama for a game to be suspended, according to Phillips.

“We’ve played in games where you looked across the infield and it looked like a glare because there was so much water. And the outfield had puddles.”

Other than Friday, Phillips said he can’t complain about the weather in the Pacific Northwest.

“When I left (home), it was 105 degrees,” said Phillips, 21. “I got here and it was 70 degrees and everyone was complaining about it being hot. It’s great.”