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Leagues and Governing Bodies

Should MLB Cater Early-Season Schedule To Avoid Winter Weather?

Both the Mets and Yankees had their scheduled home openers snowed out MondayPhillies

There are 14 teams in MLB that either "play in domes or in favorable mid-spring climates," and those are the teams that need to "host games played this early" in the season, according to Mike Vaccaro of the N.Y. POST. Both the Mets and Yankees had their scheduled home openers snowed out Monday, and they both were "no doubt compelled to play" in yesterday’s "brutal conditions because the forecast is so ominous" for today. MLB will have to "come to its senses and realize that if it is going to start these seasons earlier and earlier, commit to playing games in March that actually count, then they’re going to have to use logic and reason in creating sensible schedules" (N.Y. POST, 4/4). In N.Y., Billy Witz notes yesterday's Yankees-Rays matchup at Yankee Stadium saw "drizzling, dank and bone-chilling weather." It was a "miserable day for baseball," as the temperature at the first pitch, which was "delayed 14 minutes by the weather, was 40 degrees." There were perhaps 10,000 fans in the ballpark then, and "most congregated under the overhangs of the upper decks." The "wretched weather prompted the Yankees to skip the traditional pregame introductions of the teams along the baselines and scrap plans to unfurl an enormous American flag in the outfield" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/4). MLB Network's Chris Russo said, "The weather in the northeast is still lousy. ... It’s not going to break for the next couple of weeks. You’re going to have to live with it in a bad cycle if you’re in Baltimore or Washington or New York, or Boston or places along those lines” (“High Heat,” MLB Network, 4/3).

EASY TIGER: The Tigers today postponed their scheduled game against the Royals to April 20 due to forecasted snow showers in Detroit (THE DAILY). In Detroit, Anthony Fenech wrote the teams yesterday played in "terrible weather conditions" at Comerica Park. The temperature was in the "high-30’s, the wind blew at 13 mph and a steady drizzle fell throughout the game." It was the Tigers’ "quickest nine-inning game" since the end of the '15 season. Batters "rarely worked at-bats" and there were a lot of "first-pitch flyouts." Fenech: "It wasn’t baseball. And it was unfair to many." That includes the two teams, the fans who "paid money and even those who stand to profit from admissions." The Tigers are "already at a disadvantage," as they must scheduled the first few home games "during the day because of weather concerns" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 4/4). In Michigan, Evan Woodbery noted there were only "3,000 or so fans" in the seats due to the "bone-chilling" conditions. The Tigers "sold 15,083 tickets to the game, a couple hundred more than Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader" against the Pirates, which had the "lowest paid crowd at Comerica Park in 12 years." Sunday's games "probably had more fans in the seats -- but not by much." Woodbery: "A bad team, bad opponents and bad weather make it tough to sell walk-up tickets in April" (MLIVE.com, 4/3). 

ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLD: In Denver, Elizabeth Hernandez writes Rockies fans may need "winter gloves" for Friday's scheduled home opener at Coors Field, as the forecasts are calling for a "cold one." An incoming storm is bringing with it "high temperatures in the mid- to upper-30s on Friday, freezing rain and maybe even snow" (DENVER POST, 4/4).

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