Tigers-White Sox opener in Chicago postponed because of rain
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago White Sox have postponed their season opener against the Detroit Tigers because of rain.
With the field drenched and no break in the forecast, the game was called off 91 minutes after the scheduled start Monday. It will be made up on Tuesday afternoon.
The Tigers are trying to get back to the playoffs after missing the postseason for the second straight year. They finished eight games behind Cleveland in the AL Central and fell just short of a wild card.
The White Sox are rebuilding coming off a 78-84 finish and their fourth straight losing season. They traded ace Chris Sale and outfielder Adam Eaton. Management stocked up on young players, hoping to turn around a franchise with one playoff appearance since 2005.
The game was supposed to begin at 3:10 p.m. at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Sox sent starting pitcher Jose Quintana to the mound, with the Tigers starting Justin Verlander.
"The whole goal of the season is to start 1 and 0. Detroit has a very good pitcher going today but so do we," said Brooks Boyer, White Sox vice president of sales and marketing.
"I just love what Opening Day represents with the hope and enthusiasm," said Christine O'Reilly, vice president of White Sox community relations.
The White Sox will have a variety of new food options for fans coming out to the ballpark this season, including a jalapeno cheddar sausage with coleslaw and sriracha mayo called "The Heater," stir fry noodles with grilled vegetables called the "Wok Off" and mini donuts. Perhaps the biggest addition is the 16 inch brisket mac and cheese grilled cheese with onion rings.
In addition to new food, the White Sox "Craft Kave" will feature beers from 38 different breweries.
The White Sox will have plenty of giveaways this season, including a winter hat giveaway on Saturday. There will also be "Free-T-shirt Thursdays," a Hawaiian White Sox shirt and on May 13, fans can get a talking Hawk Harrelson alarm clock.
"All your favorite Hawkisms, like 'You can put it on the board, Yes,' you want to wake up to that," said Sheena Quinn, director of public relations for the White Sox.
O'Reilly also showed off some special collectibles, new this year, such as tickets with vintage images. One reads "South Side Hit Men," another features White Sox founder, Charles Comiskey.
Because of the demand for the ticket artwork, the Sox will be putting them into card sets to be sold to benefit White Sox charities.
To mark the start of the baseball season, Guaranteed Rate has announced the Guaranteed Impact program to benefit kids from 8 to 18 who help the community.
"This is a joint program between Guaranteed Rate and the Chicago White Sox and they get a fantastic prize of they win. They get a suite for 15 of their family and friends, they get a shout out be the announcers and then they get their photo on the video board," said Scott Stephen, president of Guaranteed Rate Online.
There will be 10 kids honored at different home games throughout the 2017 season.
For more information on how to apply to the program, click here.
