Queens, NY: Here in New York our weather has been quite inconsistent for baseball. On Monday the temperature was a summer like 70 degrees, excellent for baseball. Tuesday & Yesterday low 40’s to high 49 degrees more like late fall, early winter
How does cold weather affect players, especially Latino players that like me can’t get that tropical heat off our body and soul no matter how long we’ve been in this country? I’m not a baseball player, but I am Latino and though I’ve been in New York practically all my life I’m cold if the temperature is 50 degrees and under. On Tuesday and yesterday when I visited Citi-Field after parking my car approximately two city blocks away from the media entrance I walked quite fast as the open space at Citi-Field usually makes it a bit colder than the reading temperature.
The first player I met in the Mets locker room was Robinson Canó and the first thing I noticed was he was upset with the weather. “Este jodio frío” (this damn cold) was the first thing that he say’s as he was putting some items into his locker. I agreed with him and told him I was in Puerto Rico and returned a few days earlier and he jokes, “porque no te trajiste un poco calor” (why didn’t you bring some warmth with you).
Flowers outside Citi-Field look like Spring, but weather feels like winter.
The cold weather also affects the fans and though many fans who might buy tickets in advance and still attend a game on a cold chilly evening (towing blankets, scarf’s, and winter hats) they most likely will not remain for the entire nine innings as we can see by the number of empty seats throughout the stadium.
So my question to you, our reader is: Do you think that playing in the cold affects the productivity of a player, especially Latino players?
Do you think that there should be a rule that if the temperature dips below a certain degree the game should be called off and re-scheduled?
How about having a schedule that most teams in climates that are still cold in April schedule their games mostly away in cities where the temperature is warmer and then have their home openers closer to May when the temperature would be milder and warmer?
The bottom line is that the issue of global warming is real and sooner, or later the effects of climate change will affect our national pastime that is supposed to be a summer sport
