How cold is too cold?

In NC there aren't any rules that we are aware of, but the coach makes pretty good decisions with regard to the weather.  

Our family rule is no metal bats allowed under 40 degrees.  Sadly, learned this one from experience.

Good thing your not in Ohio. Many of the college teams are playing in temps below 40 especially d3 and d2. I can tell you they are not using wood at those temps.

We do have a rule for practices outside but we had one game last spring were we played in about 32 degree weather. W wind chill it was much colder-we looked like football fans from up north. It was crazy. Sold a lot of hot choc, and coffee in concession stand. 

We are in Florida and had tryouts a couple of weeks ago and temps were in the 30's for a couple of days. We had an intra squad game Friday and the temps were in the high 30's and it was sleeting.

Here in NW Ohio it's up to a balmy 24 degrees   Tomorrow night's low -15.  We've had a record year for snow...and probably 8-10" on the ground with 40+ mph winds expected again over the next couple days.  If not for the snow, the 24 degree temps today would feel like  "baseball weather" compared to what we've had the past couple weeks.....lol.  I can't feel too bad for anyone who's got a chance to go outside on the field....even if it is in the 30's.....lol

30"s that swimsuit weather!

 Tomorrow is supposed to be -30 here in MN. Was in in AZ last week for the PG MLK and man was it hard to get on the plane to come back!

We are in North Florida....that's got to count for something Lol! Headed to the field in a few minutes and the temps are around 60. They are supposed to be down in the 'teens tomorrow night. The old saying around here is "if you don't like the weather, wait fifteen minutes and it will change". I know we are lucky compared to some of you guys and gals! When the temps are in the 30's here, you should see how we dress, it looks like we are in Alaska!

If the GeeGee birds are out it's too cold. GeeGeeGeeGeez its freaking c-c-cold outside.

It's the old saying everywhere. Where it's true is San Francisco with the fog and New England with weather currents coming from the north, west and south.

Are we talking HS, college or both?  For HS I don't recall a specific rule regarding temperature.  HS tryouts don't start for another month here.  Might be warmer by then.  I don't recall cold temperatures postponing or cancelling a game.

I don't know if the college level has specific rules either.  My son is at a D2 JuCo (Virginia) and last year the first weekend we attended was in mid-February.  Drove through snow flurries on the way.  Game time it was 36 F and occasional snow flurries.  Everyone was pretty much bundled up drinking coffee or hot chocolate.

This past Friday it was 10 F (wind chill around zero) and my son text me they were pulling the tarp off the infield.  Had been practicing indoors up until that time.

RJM, GeeGee birds, that's funny! And yes I have seen them in my life!

I knew that RJM! I didn't mean it sound like it was unique to Florida!

First place I heard that phrase was in Colorado,  One morning it was true.  In a short space of time it went from snow to rain to sunshine......

Every year that I was a HC, we had a portion of tryouts in the snow or snow flurries.  Of course we didn't hit outside but rather hit inside after basketball cleared the gym.  A gentleman's agreement here in the Metro East area east of St. Louis is that 40 is the coldest we play due to the bats.  I admire the coaches in Northern Illinois because they play in just about anything to get their games in.  We did play in a tournament where we played in sleet and snow and 28 degrees.  We took the bat bags and some tarps and built a "fort" in the dugout.  My CF and LF were running for a ball in that game and my CF dove for the ball, he did a belly slide under the jumping LF.  It was funny to watch.  

I remember opening my season as a player in 99 against St. John's at the Greens right off the River Des Peres with snow falling at a pretty good clip and it being around 25 at game time. There was also a small lake in right center field.

When I was in Kentucky it got pretty cold (although others have it worse).  We didn't have a rule and we couldn't practice inside until basketball season was over.  Our field was a community field so I couldn't touch it until our season started.  By that point it was saturated and we had to wait until we got a break in the weather to work it to get it ready.  We had a barn at the county fairgrounds that let us put nets up to hit in but we had to share it with softball.  So one day we would be in there hitting and getting bullpens while the next day we would be outside on the parking lot because it was dry.  I hated the parking lot but it was either that or field grounders in mud.

There was one game during a "spring" break tournament it was probably 17 degrees with the wind chill.  For some reason we played the game although the temperature was miserable.  One of the parents had a tube heater that they put in the dugout which didn't help any.  To make it worse there were snow flurries.  I was in the third base box coaching and a snow flake went into my ear.  It was so cold it almost dropped me to my knees.

I hate cold weather.

Forgot this story until now.  My very first college game in the mountains of eastern Kentucky it was below freezing and snowing.  Once again it was miserable but probably one of the funniest things I've ever witnessed in baseball happened.  Out by our RF bullpen is where some students watched the game.  We didn't have a PA system so we didn't do lineups or even the anthem (we were a poor NAIA program).  Just before the game started this group of guys who were using some drinks to help stay warm started signing the national anthem.  Both teams ran out to their foul lines and faced the flag.  Everyone in the stands stood up and took their hats off.  They did a horrible job of singing because the certain liquids they were drinking threw off their ability (if any) to sing.  When they finished the plate ump shouted "PLAY BALL".

Still one of my favorite memories to this day.

We had 3-6" of snow on Friday.1st snow in 5+ years. Tryouts postponed from Friday until today. 70 degrees yesterday (Sunday) all traces of snow gone.  We will have tryouts in 15-25 mph winds this evening.  Now the weather report shows 50% chance of snow early AM tomorrow. We have the 15 minute rule also!!!

Does anyone remember the picture from a couple of years ago of Maryland taking BP in two feet of snow? They plowed the mound and the batters box.

Its not just the cold - its the WIND that makes it miserable. Pretty used to playing in cold temps in Denver and its a common thing to have shovel the infield off  during March-May. Easily played in games where the wind chill is 10-15 degrees -frekin miserable. If the temp is 25 but no wind - tolerable - 40 deg and blowing hard - miserable.

Coach, great story!  The Greens!  Right next to the River Des Peres Yacht Club!!!  LOL!  I could tell you a story about playing there.  Good Times!

How cold is too cold?

For those of us, who have seen the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe" know the universal answer for everything is "42".

Not exactly baseball related, but just got an email from son's school  "The National Weather Service (NWS) is forecasting a strong possibility of winter precipitation and below freezing temperatures beginning Tuesday morning and continuing throughout the day. FBCA is monitoring the weather and will update you this evening or by 5:45 a.m. Tuesday morning regarding any changes to the regular school schedule for tomorrow".

Forecast says low of 30, with a chance of snow that only sticks to the ground once a decade.  Unbelievably, if there is any ice anywhere, the city will grind to a halt, schools will be cancelled and the freeways will lock up.

Hello from Houston!

Knew you had to be talking about East or Southern part of Texas. In East Texas and same thing.....if there is any ice on the road, ET drivers are idiots and the town comes to a standstill !!!

Here in the panhandle of Fl. they are calling for possible snow, School will be closed Tues. and Wed. We were supposed to play Wed....I say paint the balls red and lets play two!

Looks like that storm will pass just to the south of us.  My son's first game is an away game near Rocky Mount, NC on the 8th.  Hopefully, it will warm up by then and melt whatever drops from the sky.

I hear ya on the city shutting down.  I work near DC and any mention of the white stuff throws the residents into panic mode - seems to be an unwritten rule that everyone (or nearly everyone) has to go to the store and buy out all the milk, eggs, bread and TP.  You'd think they never saw snow before.   There have been times that even the forecast of snow has the school officials closing schools.

I grew up in upstate NY and it took 10"- 12" of snow before officials even considered opening late, let alone closing.....