Rain washes out batting practice at ‘covered’ Marlins Park
By STEVEN WINE AP Sports Writer May 30, 2012 5:10PM
MIAMI — Rain washed out batting practice Wednesday at Marlins Park.
And yes, the $634-million, taxpayer-funded ballpark has a retractable roof.
The roof was open when a rain cell popped up over the ballpark at mid-afternoon, nearly four hours before the start of the Marlins’ game against the Washington Nationals. Showers fell for nearly 15 minutes before the roof began to close.
Curious players emerged from the clubhouse to watch as the grounds crew scrambled to cover the infield with a tarp. Puddles quickly accumulated on warning track, and thanks to a spillover from the field, muddy water soon stood eight inches deep in a photo bay near the Marlins’ dugout.
The weather cell caught workers at the new ballpark by surprise, Marlins vice president Claude Delomme said.
