Reason #418 - Twins' New Stadium

The Twins' new roof-less ballpark opens next April. They can't wait to leave the Metrodome, which is horrible. But there will be lots of bad weather in the Upper Midwest - maybe worse than Cleveland's. What were they thinking? Let's show Cleveland they're not the only ones with no foresight? Indians play a night game there on April 20. It better be parka giveaway night.

Reason #417 - 2010 Schedule

The Indians 2010 schedule is out and they play the first six games on the road. Not good for a team that always seems to struggle in April. And, yet, the team's own Web site heralds this schedule as "a 2010 schedule that mercifully includes just seven home dates in the often cold and cruel month of April..." Brutal honesty, I guess, for some brutally cold and frustrated fans. Good luck selling tickets to those seven games.

Reason #416 - Sustainability

I admit I've been looking for some new reasons lately. This week, I've found one, at Cleveland's Sustainability Summit, which is charged with developing plans for revitalizing our economy and city by 2019. It's a fact that a retractable roof on Browns Stadium would make Cleveland a much better all-weather city, and that's sustainable. New jobs in adding the roof, new year-round jobs, new events, more downtown visitors and tourists, greater use of public transportation, more civic pride, an improved lakefront, etc.

Reason #415 - Slow Starts in April

The Indians finished 8-14 in April - another bad first month for the team. Same thing every year. Many want to blame the manager, Eric Wedge. I think the cool, rainy weather is a major factor - it's been with us every year just like the manager. So, I say, blame the lack of a retractable roof. Instead of firing the manager, how about hiring a retractable roof contractor?

Reason #414 - Walk-Up Crowd

The Cleveland Indians need a big walk-up crowd many nights to make their budget for the year. Tonight would have been a perfect night - Red Sox in town, half-price tickets and dollar dogs. Only problem is it's 42 degrees and damp. A retractable roof is the only answer to our problems.

Reason #413 - Rain and Sleet in April

I can see the stands of Progressive Field from my office window. Seven minutes before game time tonight, there weren't more than about 1,000 people in the stands. At the risk of stating the obvious, I think the occasional downbursts of rain and sleet might be keeping the fans away.

Reason #412 - Today

Today is opening day, and, of course, we have rain and 44 degrees. According to the Plain Dealer, since 1968, the Indians are 3-4 in openers when the temperature is in the 30s and 5-7 when it's in the 40s. And those stats don't include the 2007 opener that had to be played indoors in Milwaukee due to a blizzard in Cleveland. I don't know what's worse - the Indians' opening day record in cold weather or the number of cold opening days we've had since 1968.