From both the perspective of the player and the spectator, what is the best clothing, gear, wear, etc. for staying warm?
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It used to be Spahn and Sain and pray for rain... In the Northeast - March is so blustery that even with the pictured gear you many not be warm enough... So you just pray to not have to go play in the snow. But if you do need to go out you may want to start with some good footwear - think what do ice climbers wear (crampons)... For some fields you may need some snowshoes... batters shouldn't bring their metal bats - go with the cheap wood one that your parents can throw into the barrel that has a fire lit to help keep everyone warm.
In my 5th year as a college parent, I feel like I qualify for saying I have just about seen it all. I have seen snow flurries during games, freezing rain, i recall playing in mid March on a 60 degree day by the end of the game it was high 30's and by the next morning 7 inches of snow was on the ground...28 Degrees with wind of 20 mph plus i think was still the coldest i can recall. Hard to believe that was a 4-2 or 3-2 game...
All that being said these days are the outliers. Sure there are some cold days and they aren't fun but typically it really isn't to bad. 52 and sunny is pretty damn nice when you have grown accustomed to winters of 32 high temps! It is all relative but the reputation is worse then the reality.
That being said I have no interest in New England in March but from what I can see of most of the schedules neither do the teams that are there.
Francis, are you calling where you live the Northeast? My kids grew up in PA. The March temps ranged from 40-60. I started high school in Massachusetts. We didn’t have games until April.
Old thread:
https://community.hsbaseballwe...arm-temperature-warm
#1 priority to me (player and fan) is real wool socks. I love Smartwool merino wool socks.
just saying....
@ReluctantO'sFan LOL
Do a lot of guys use wood bats for those March games? I gotta say, as parents we think it's awful when it's 50-55* and windy. I can't imagine adding snow or rain to that.
@TerribleBPthrower posted:Do a lot of guys use wood bats for those March games? I gotta say, as parents we think it's awful when it's 50-55* and windy. I can't imagine adding snow or rain to that.
I've attended a lot of brutally cold college games in PA/NJ/DE/MD. I've never seen anyone use a wood bat.
I have not seen anyone use wood in college, I actually would be stunned if a coach allowed it.
We have to use wood bats in HS ball here in NYC. Season starts usually end of March, with scrimmages prior.
Hand warmers are great:
As far as gear, thermal sports tights and tops, wool or silk ski socks under uniform. Most NE players wear very little beyond their uniforms for games, kind of a macho thing, some (non-pitchers) even sticking with just the uniform, maybe a 3/4 sleeve under. Pitchers are another story and have got to keep warm, especially hands when not on mound, ball is like a cue ball with no feel for off speed pitches, but then again you plug a few hitters in that cold weather and after you can basically serve the ball down the middle and get outs, good rule of thumb is to hit the guy with the most winter clothes on. Most teams travel south first month before conference play anyway. As soon as teams can plow the turf fields in February (most often the football field), it's outside to practice. 33 degrees is a nice day.
We found thermal ski layers helpful, plus a fleece gator for the neck, and hand warmers in each back pocket. Sons played IF, they'd hold the hand warmer in throwing hand in between batters, then quickly ditch it in the dirt, then pick up again after the hitter. Really helps.
My kids played in the Suburban League (Montgomery-Bucks County PA). Between the two kids over eight years I only remember one game I was so cold I wished I was someplace else. At the time CB South played in a park down and across the street from the high school. I think the field is on the school grounds now. The field was in a wide open area. It was forty and real windy (where’s the ball coming down windy). A few of us parents were running poles between innings. Some were sitting in cars despite the bad view.
In eight years I never sat in the stands once. I didn’t want to be cornered for input. I didn’t want to second guess the coach. But especially, the “why doesn’t the coach play my kid more” input.
As players my kids wore Under Armour Coldgear. It’s designed to retain body heat.
I remember at the LLWS (late August in upstate PA) the Southeast and Southwest teams would wear Under Armour and sometimes jackets at night. Night games in late August can dip all the way to 68-72.
The farthest northeast you should be in March for college baseball is.....Virginia.
My son played HS ball (OF) in Newport RI where the FOG and WIND were home field advantages.
Real NE'ers play in March and accept what they get. While scouts and rrecruiters were at many of his games, the WOOD bat was the only bat he used.
If the player wants to show confidence (and hits wood in the Summer) , he should stick with the stick. Batting Gloves (Hockey Gloves) and warm breath is all they need.
If they can sneak in the hand warmers, do it!