Snowstorm forces Indians to play in Milwaukee

By Andrew Lippe

Snow in the midwest has forced the Cleveland Indians to play their next three home games against the Los Angeles Angels in Milwaukee’s Miller Park, a move that not only throws team travel plans into disarray but also those of the production crews.

“The Cleveland Indians were kind enough to allow 10 additional seats on their charter plane so our crew could get down to Milwaukee for the week,” said Jim Liberatore President of Sportstime Ohio.

“Our crew being able to ride on the team plane would not normally happen,” said Pat Murray Director of Baseball Operations for Sportstime Ohio.

For three days the Jacobs Field crew shoveled heavy snow and was unable to clear the field as more than a foot of snow still remained. The Indians, who have not played an inning since the fifth inning of Friday night’s game, moved their next series against the Angels to a stadium with a retractable roof. The Indians Players left Monday night to Milwaukee.

Usually for home games Sportstime Ohio uses a fiber connection linking the Jacobs Field cameras to the local TV station. But because they are on the road a production truck was necessary. “We are using Lyon’s MU3 truck,” said Murray. “We called up Lyon and said ‘here is our situation and here is what we are going to do.’”

The crew sent to Miller Park consisted of only 10 crew members so additional crew was needed. “We are getting guys from Chicago helping out as well as locals from Milwaukee,” said Murray. STO have also been comparing notes and mixing and matching cameras with the LA Angels production crew.

Finding a crew has been hard but adapting to the ballpark is not unfamiliar to the STO crew. “We have been in this neck of the woods before. We were here last year for interleague,” said Murray.

Though the ballpark is familiar it is still going to be strange as they are unsure of the expected crowd. “These guys need to play,” said Murray. The snow has already caused an injury to Indians catcher Victor Martinez, who strained his left quadriceps when running to first base during Friday’s game.

The opening game and Wednesday’s game of the Angels series will be played at 7:05 p.m. EDT, with Thursday’s game scheduled for 1:05 p.m which ironically has a snowy forecast. Tuesday’s pitching matchup will see Indians pitcher C.C Sabathia, against the Angels Ervin Santana. Still undecided is when the Indians and Mariners will make up their four-game series that was canceled this past weekend.

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