Mariners game postponed as field was left uncovered overnight
Apr 4, 2014, 9:18 PM | Updated: Apr 5, 2014, 12:52 pm
By Shannon Drayer
Oakland, Calif. – The Mariners game against the A’s has been postponed due to poor field conditions that were due to the A’s failing to tarp the field overnight. We can’t make these things up.
Lloyd McClendon and Jack Zduriencik took a walk out to inspect the field along with the umpires and Oakland manager Bob Melvin at about 6:45 p.m. Shortly after 7 word began to circulate that the game had been canceled.
“It was very soft. That’s probably the worst conditions I’ve seen in all my years in baseball. It was not safe for the players,” McClendon said.
Apparently it wasn’t safe for the manager either.
“I was walking toward shortstop and my ankle turned and went down I’d say probably two inches,” he said.
No doubt you wouldn’t want to see your new $240 million second baseman play on that.
Per union rules the decision on whether or not to play one or two games Saturday was made by the players. The teams will stick to the original schedule and make up Friday’s game later this season, most likely in May. Felix Hernandez will start Saturday’s game as originally scheduled.
One of the reasons I heard that they did not want to play the double header is there was concern the field conditions could worsen if they played back to back games. According to both McClendon and Jack Zduriencik there is a chance that the field may not be ready for Saturday’s game. I would be very surprised if this were the case but we shall see.
