Snowed out: Indians move series against Angels to Milwaukee

[Pronk48]

Snowed out: Indians move series against Angels to Milwaukee - MLB - Yahoo! Sports

By JOE MILICIA, Associated Press Writer
April 9, 2007

AP - Apr 9, 4:08 pm EDT
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CLEVELAND (AP) -- With the grounds crew still shoveling snow off the field, the Cleveland Indians decided it was time to head north to Milwaukee.

The Indians moved their series against the Los Angeles Angels to Milwaukee's Miller Park after a spring snowstorm wiped out Cleveland's series against Seattle for the fourth straight day Monday.

"I thought we were going to move it to North Dakota, but we got Milwaukee instead," joked Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner, a native of Sykeston, N.D.

The teams will play a three-game series beginning Tuesday in a ballpark that has a retractable roof, unlike Jacobs Field. The opener and Wednesday's game will be played at 7:05 p.m. EDT, with Thursday's game scheduled for 1:05 p.m.

While a snowy, rainy mix stopped falling Monday, the grounds crew was unable to get the surface in shape after three days of snow. About a foot of snow remained on the field Monday afternoon with workers shoveling it into small carts to be hauled away.

"They've got a lot of work ahead of them. It's a tough job," said Indians outfielder Grady Sizemore, sipping a cup of hot chocolate in the team's clubhouse.

Indians manager Eric Wedge said the field was expected to be ready Friday, when they are slated to open a three-game set against the Chicago White Sox.

Friday's game will serve as the unofficial home opener. The Indians were ahead 4-0 with two outs in the top of the fifth, when their home opener Friday was called off by umpires because of heavy snow. The grounds crew, armed with backpack blowers and brooms, spent more time on the field than the players during nearly three hours of stoppages.

"I've never felt cold like that in my life," said Indians shortstop Jhonny Peralta, a native of the Dominican Republic.

After Friday's game was called, the teams hoped to play a day-night doubleheader Saturday, but that was put off by the spring storm. They then scheduled a doubleheader for Sunday, which also was postponed.

"We went out and made some snow angels and made some goofy pictures, but I'm bored to death," Indians outfielder David Dellucci said.

Players packed Monday for an evening flight to Milwaukee, where the Brewers will sell tickets for $10 each, with seating limited to the field and loge levels.

"I can't imagine there will be a whole lot of fans," Hafner said. "The most important thing is that you get the games in."

It's the first time weather has forced a series to be moved since the Florida Marlins played the Montreal Expos on Sept. 13-14, 2004, in Chicago's U.S. Cellular Field because of Hurricane Ivan.

Angels vice president Tim Mead said Milwaukee made sense for both clubs because Cleveland can return home Friday and the Angels will travel on to Boston.

"It's a compromise that does not allow an unfair advantage," Mead said.

Still undetermined is when and where the Indians and Mariners will make up their four-game series.

Wedge expected they would play a doubleheader on a mutual off day and could make up one of the games when they travel to Seattle the last week of the season.

"We're kind of off the charts now," Wedge said. "We're rolling with it and making the best of the situation."

The cold caused another problem for the Indians -- an injury to catcher Victor Martinez, who strained his left quadriceps while running to first base Friday. The Indians are bringing along minor league catcher Mike Rose from Triple-A Buffalo in case Martinez is put on the disabled list.

Wedge said Martinez was feeling a little better Monday, and the Indians may face the Angels a player short for a game or two while they wait to make a decision.

While Wedge spoke with optimism, some players expressed concern and frustration over the league's scheduling and how the makeup games will affect their season.

"It could be a big problem down the road," Hafner said. "Once the season gets going, you don't want to not get your off days -- on top of that playing doubleheaders. So it could be a big pain."

Dellucci, who is from Louisiana, and Sabathia, who lives near Oakland, Calif., both think the schedule makers need to put teams in better environments next April.

"We're sitting here snowed out four games when we could have been in Seattle with a retractable roof," Dellucci said. "There's plenty of teams down South. Tampa's got a dome. It needs to be taken into consideration in the near future."

Sabathia, who was scheduled to start Monday, will pitch Tuesday against Ervin Santana.

"It is weird waking up one day and saying, `We're going to play three games in Milwaukee," said Sabathia, who walked into the clubhouse in a brown winter coat. "It's going to be tough."

Milwaukee is billing the series between the Indians and the Angels as the return of American League baseball to the city.

The last game between two AL clubs in Milwaukee was Sept. 28, 1997, when Baltimore beat the Brewers. Milwaukee moved to the National League the following season.

AP Sports Writer Tom Withers contributed to this report.

Great job Selig and Co.!You just took an entire home series AWAY FROM THE FANS OF THE CLEVELAND INDIANS!

Why not play the series in Anaheim and have them play a three game series here later this season when we are supposed to be there?Nobody is gonna show up for this in Milwaukee.The games may count as "home games" but there will be no HFA for the Indians.

This,once again,shows the incompetance of Bud Selig and his marry band if jackasses he has working for him.

[browntown653]

Why even start the season in Cleveland to begin with?

[Pronk48]

Why even start the season in Cleveland to begin with?

Normally it's only cold out in April,I doin't ever remember a snowstorm in April.A flurry or two,yes...a snowstorm,no.

[browntown653]

Still...it would make much more sense to start in Seattle. Same can be said for the Toronto @ Detroit, Tampa Bay @ NY Yankees, Minnesots @ Chicago series...it makes too much sense to even be put into play.

[Pronk48]

It's just the way the chimps,errr people,made the shcedule.

[brewersfan19]

Major League the movie in real life I guess!!

[browntown653]

MLB schedule makers

[love_that_reefer]

You have to balance the home and away games. Are fans supposed to wait a month for Opening Day now? They moved the game to Milwaukee to make it easier on both teams. Anahiem has to come out East anyway. It sucks but this is the best they can do on short notice. This gives the fans something and people will come out to watch.

[Pronk48]

You have to balance the home and away games. Are fans supposed to wait a month for Opening Day now? They moved the game to Milwaukee to make it easier on both teams. Anahiem has to come out East anyway. It sucks but this is the best they can do on short notice. This gives the fans something and people will come out to watch.

I don't want to have to wait a month for the home opener.

However,I don't know why the sceduled the Mariners and Angels only trips to Cleveland this year in early April.We could have played the White Sox,Twins,Tigers,Royals,Red Sox,Yankees where it's easier to make games up if they are cancelled because they are not cross-country trips.

Instead,if needed,the Mariners will have to fly out on off days to make the games up.They will probally have to do it while on an East Coast trip because I doubt they will fly out on off-days while on the West Coast.

[DirtyKash]

Incidentally, why was it moved to freaking Milwaukee? Why not Cincinnati, which is 100 million times closer to Cleveland than Milwaukee, and Cincinnati isn't affected by the weather. The Reds are on the road in Arizona, so the ballpark is available. Probably makes too much sense.

[browntown653]

Apparently the only cities considered were Milwaukee, Anaheim, and somewhere else far from Cleveland.

[browntown653]

You have to balance the home and away games. Are fans supposed to wait a month for Opening Day now? They moved the game to Milwaukee to make it easier on both teams. Anahiem has to come out East anyway. It sucks but this is the best they can do on short notice. This gives the fans something and people will come out to watch.

I'm not saying anybody has to wait a month. What I am saying is that it's crazy that the first week of the season is scheduled for such cold conditions where there are much better alternatives. Most teams are going to sell out whether or not they have to wait a week for their first game, and especially if it isn't 30 degrees and snowing outside.

[DirtyKash]

Apparently the only cities considered were Milwaukee, Anaheim, and somewhere else far from Cleveland.

Classic Bud Selig. What a doof.