Snow job helps Mariners avoid loss
CLEVELAND – Swirling snow, lengthy delays, a near no-hitter, a tireless grounds crew and baseball fans bundled up for a football game.
It was a home opener unlike any in the Cleveland Indians’ 107-year history.
Officially, it never happened.
“A weird day,” Indians starter Paul Byrd said.
A strange night, too.
One strike away from putting their first home game in the books, the Indians had their opener with the Seattle Mariners postponed Friday when daylong snow wouldn’t stop and the playing surface became too dangerous.
The game was finally called after 173 minutes of stoppages, roughly the same amount of time as a regular American League game. This one was anything but normal.
The Indians were leading 4-0 with two outs in the top of the fifth when the umpires, who pushed back the start by 57 minutes, halted play for the third time.
One hour and 17 minutes later, crew chief Rick Reed called the game at 8:41 p.m. – 4 hours and 36 minutes after the scheduled first pitch – ending a bizarre day and night when the Jacobs Field grounds crew, armed with backpack blowers, shovels and brooms to combat the snow, had spent more time on the field than any players.
“I was concerned about the players’ welfare,” Reed said. “Ultimately, it gets down to the players’ safety.”
At one point during the final delay, Reed summoned Indians manager Eric Wedge and Seattle’s Mike Hargrove for a meeting. Earlier, the two managers had a heated on-field discussion.
Reed wanted to give the grounds crew time to clear the field again, but with more snow on the radar and the grass getting more slippery as the temperature dropped, he decided enough was enough.
“I explained that to both managers,” Reed said. “We waited and we evaluated it and it wasn’t safe. All parties went to the wall on this.”
“It’s one of the oddest days most of us have ever been involved with,” Wedge said.
Byrd was perfect through four innings but walked three in the fifth. The right-hander got two outs and was ahead 1-2 in the count to Jose Lopez when Hargrove came out of his dugout.
Known during his playing career as “The Human Rain Delay” because of his slow ritual in the batter’s box, Hargrove complained to plate umpire Alfonso Marquez that Lopez couldn’t see the ball.
“I did not say to call the game,” Hargrove said. “I said, ‘My hitter can’t see.’ “
Betancourt hits pay dirt
The M’s are looking for big things from Yuniesky Betancourt, judging by the nice contract extension they just gave him.
Seattle’s shortstop with an emerging bat will earn $13.75 million under a four-year extension announced on Wednesday.
Betancourt, who fled Cuba in December 2003 by boat, is making $400,000 this year under his previous contract and had been set to earn $990,000 in 2008.