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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Cold weather irks players


A cotton candy vendor stands out amid a group of Marine Corps recruits during the seventh-inning stretch of the baseball game between San Diego and Colorado.
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press The Spokesman-Review

Let’s play two. Sure, but when?

Sunday’s postponement of the doubleheader pitting the Seattle Mariners against the Indians in Cleveland – the second day in a row their twin bill was snowed out – capped an opening week of low temperatures around Major League Baseball.

Bad weather forced eight postponements since April 1, equaling the number of games called off in baseball’s opening week from 2002-06, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The locations of games that have been postponed – New York, Detroit, Chicago and Cleveland – have raised questions about April scheduling.

“If we’re going to play a series with the White Sox this early, why not in Minnesota where we still have a dome?” Twins pitcher Juan Rincon said in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “Tampa Bay opens in New York. Toronto, with a dome, opens in Detroit.

“I must be stupid, because I don’t understand.”

The forecast for today in Cleveland, where the Mariners and Indians will try again to play a doubleheader, calls for early snow showers and temperatures between 28-37 degrees.

Johnson not pleased

Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks allowed two runs and four hits in six innings of a minor league start for Class-A Visalia.

The five-time Cy Young Award winner was routinely clocked in the low 90s (mph) but was far from overpowering in his second of three scheduled minor league appearances.

“I think I’m yet (to be) convinced that I’m ready to pitch at the major league level,” Johnson said.

Clearing the bases

Hideki Matsui wound up on the disabled list for the second consecutive season. A day after Matsui strained his left hamstring running out a grounder, the Yankees put him on the 15-day DL. … Mike Hampton’s struggle to return to the Atlanta Braves’ rotation had another setback when he felt pain in his left elbow and had to stop throwing in the bullpen. … Eric Gagne felt better than expected after pitching on consecutive days for the first time in nearly two years and said he’s ready to be the Texas Rangers’ closer. Gagne is eligible to come off the DL on Friday.