ARLINGTON, Texas — The threat of rain Sunday night and the potential for multiple game stoppages forced the postponement of Game 2 of the AL Championship Series.
The game between the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers is scheduled to be played at 2:19 p.m. MDT today at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on the first of two scheduled off days in the best-of-seven series.
Major League Baseball decided to postpone the game around 1 p.m. MDT on Sunday, more than four hours before the scheduled first pitch and just as a steady rain that started falling overnight had stopped.
But the forecast for the rest of the day called for conditions similar to the ones that plagued Game 1, and the No. 1 interest became preserving the integrity of the game.
“We didn’t want to experience what we did last night,” Rangers president Nolan Ryan said. “With the forecast for this evening, it appears that it’s going to be a duplication of what we saw last night.
“The one thing we’re concerned about is the integrity of the game and not putting either team in a situation where possibly the elements could affect the outcome of the game.”
The Rangers took the opener Saturday night in a game that was stopped twice in the top of the fifth inning for a total of 1 hour, 50 minutes. Rangers starter C.J. Wilson returned after the first delay, which spanned 42 minutes, but Tigers ace Justin Verlander didn’t throw another pitch.
Managers Ron Washington and Jim Leyland were forced to tax their pitching staffs. Eight relievers finished the game, including the Tigers’ scheduled Game 4 starter, Rick Porcello.
“It is tough,” Washington said, “but it becomes how mentally tough are you. I don’t think any of us can do anything about Mother Nature when she decides to open up. You just have to make adjustments.
“They are doing an excellent job today to keep the integrity intact. Hopefully, Mother Nature will bless us where we can go out there and play a ballgame.”
The postponement would seem to have an immediate positive impact on the Rangers’ bullpen, which would have been without right-hander Alexi Ogando on Sunday. He continued his terrific postseason with two scoreless innings in Game 1, but threw 32 pitches and wouldn’t have been asked to pitch on back-to-back nights.
But the potential of playing four consecutive days, beginning today through an if-necessary Game 5 at Detroit, puts demands on both bullpens and both catchers.
“As a bullpen, it’s going to make it a little more tough,” Texas right-hander Mike Adams said.
