American League President Gene Budig announced that the
Tigers have agreed to switch home series with the Yankees
for the next two weekends due to the temporary closure of
Yankee Stadium. The games scheduled for this weekend will
take place in Detroit, while next weekend's series will be
in Yankee Stadium (American League). MLB President Paul
Beeston released a statement thanking the Tigers "for their
spirit of cooperation" in agreeing to the swap (MLB).
MOTOR CITY MAYHEM: The Tigers "had expected to draw
between 70,000 and 80,000" for next weekend's series,
according to John Lowe of the DETROIT FREE PRESS. Although
MLB "has guaranteed to repay the Tigers for any lost revenue
that the switch causes," Tiger Stadium "could be almost
deserted" this weekend, as the "nearly" 50,000 fans who
already have tickets must change their plans on short notice
to attend the games. Tigers President John McHale said that
the inconvenience to fans was "the major, and maybe only"
reason he considered refusing to switch the series (DETROIT
FREE PRESS, 4/16). In Detroit, Charlie Vincent criticizes
the move and writes, "The American League should not be run
like a floating craps game, slipping in and out of town in a
moment's notice" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 4/16). Yankees Owner
George Steinbrenner publicly thanked Tigers Owner Mike
Ilitch by calling him "one of the best owners in baseball"
(N.Y. TIMES, 4/16). Fans unable to use their tickets this
weekend may exchange them for any other regular-season home
game in '98, and fans who attend this weekend can mail the
rain check to the Tiger Stadium box office for an additional
ticket to any '98 home game (DETROIT NEWS, 4/16).
A DAY AT SHEA: The Yankees played the Angels at Shea
Stadium yesterday in front of a crowd of 40,743. The Mets-
Cubs game last night at Shea drew 16,012 (THE DAILY).
