NEW YORK (AP)—Florida began the season with a payroll of approximately $15 million, which was about $184 million less than the New York Yankees’ total. Still, the way Marlins manager Joe Girardi sees it, Saturday’s rainout might have evened the playing field a bit.
“I think youth’s a great thing when you have doubleheaders,” Girardi said.
The scheduled game between Florida and New York was postponed because of rain Saturday and will be made up as part of a day-night doubleheader on Sunday.
The game began after a rain delay of 1 hour, 27 minutes, but the teams only managed to get the top of the first inning in before showers halted play.
The Marlins took a 1-0 lead when Miguel Cabrera hit an RBI single off the right-field fence against Shawn Chacon. The right-hander escaped further damage by getting Josh Willingham to ground into an inning-ending double play—but all those statistics will be wiped out.
“I was very shocked that they started the game. There’s a lot of pressure to start these games because we only come here once,” Girardi said. “That’s some of the risk in interleague play.”
Umpires stopped the game immediately after the double play, and the tarp was unrolled to cover the infield again. Josh Johnson, Florida’s scheduled starter, never even took the mound.
A steady drizzle let up at times but the skies remained gray and the forecast wasn’t promising, so the game was called following a 77-minute delay.
The first game Sunday will start at 1:05 p.m., with the nightcap set for 8:05 p.m. Of course, that’s only if the rain holds off.
“We have to come expecting to play even though the forecast isn’t good,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said.
In a marquee matchup, Dontrelle Willis will start the opener for Florida against Mike Mussina. The starters for the second game, however, are uncertain.
The Yankees hope Chacon will be ready to come back and start—again—after throwing 16 pitches Saturday. If not, left-handed reliever Ron Villone is likely to be called upon.
“Short notice I don’t think is a problem,” Villone said. “You look at a pitch limit, I don’t know. I couldn’t tell you. We’ll see how Chac is.”
The Marlins plan to make a roster move after the first game and will probably bring up a pitcher from the minors to start the nightcap, which probably won’t be televised because ESPN holds exclusive rights to major league baseball on Sunday night.
The network is already scheduled to broadcast Houston’s game in Chicago against the White Sox, a rematch of last year’s World Series.
Florida doesn’t want to start Johnson on Sunday because he went through a full warmup Saturday.
“He was hot,” Girardi said. “He will start Monday.”
The Marlins return home to play Tampa Bay on Monday night.
All the rain Saturday put a damper on the 60th annual Old-Timers’ Day at Yankee Stadium. The Old-Timers’ game was washed out, but New York celebrated the upcoming 50th anniversary of Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series.
When Larsen was introduced before a diminished crowd, Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra half-jumped into the pitcher’s arms in a tempered and lighthearted re-enactment of October 1956.
David Cone and a fit-looking Darryl Strawberry were among six former players making their first Old-Timers’ Day appearance at Yankee Stadium. The group also included Florida third base coach Bobby Meacham.
“I loved seeing the old-timers, and guys I don’t consider old-timers,” said Girardi, an ex-Yankee catcher and coach.
During the first rain delay, the Yankees announced to the crowd that every effort would be made to get the game in because this weekend marks Florida’s only trip to Yankee Stadium all season.
Public address announcer Bob Sheppard informed fans that their ticket stubs will be redeemable for free admission to a game next season. Details will be announced later.
Tickets for Saturday’s game can be used Sunday night—but not for the first game. Fans also have the option of exchanging Saturday’s tickets for seats to another game later this season, subject to availability.
FishStripes
Pinstripe Alley