VolUmp 229 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 I have never started a FED game below 40 degrees F. Tonight I have a game at 6pm that calls for 39 degrees and dry at game time. Considering all things — bats, balls, arms, knees, how cold is too cold to play? I realize I'm from a semi-warm area of the country and this may be a daily occurrence for many of you in the month of March. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maven 4,072 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 3 minutes ago, VolUmp said: Considering all things — bats, balls, arms, knees, how cold is too cold to play? If whalers can play, why not Volunteers? Do shaggy ball shaggers have to wear helmets? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VolUmp 229 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 OK ... let me re-state ... is there anything unsafe toward the players or the equipment at a specified temp? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
noumpere 2,521 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 We generally don't start a HS game if the temp is below freezing OR the windchill is below 10. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VolUmp 229 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 3 minutes ago, noumpere said: We generally don't start a HS game if the temp is below freezing OR the windchill is below 10. Wow ... what state (or regions) may I ask? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VolUmp 229 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 And just ilke that ... the game was canceled (rescheduled to April). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Umpire in Chief 1,473 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 I've been in some pretty frigid games. My first ever D-II game ever the high was below freezing and it was windy. After the second 9 inning game I felt I was going to die. This past Saturday was in the lower 40's and breezy. I had the plate and was okay temp wise. Sunday was a high of 37, less breezy and I had the bases. I was layered up, by the 7th I was still a Popsicle, just waiting for the game to end. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grayhawk 3,244 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 Cue the asshole from California to talk about his game today where it's supposed to be 83. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maven 4,072 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 6 minutes ago, grayhawk said: Cue the asshole from California to talk about his game today where it's supposed to be 83. Sure, it's all fun and games until somebody's half-continent ends up in the Pacific Ocean. 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stk004 641 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 30 minutes ago, grayhawk said: Cue the asshole from California to talk about his game today where it's supposed to be 83. In other news, I became acquainted with the "rainout" color on my Arbiter schedule.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Umpire_ar 37 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 In other news, I became acquainted with the "rainout" color on my Arbiter schedule.... Is arbiter a good schedule system?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stk004 641 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 4 minutes ago, Umpire_ar said: Is arbiter a good schedule system? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Yeah. Pretty simple. I think most guys here use it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
noumpere 2,521 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 16 minutes ago, Umpire_ar said: Is arbiter a good schedule system? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk It's better for the assigner than it is for the umpire.. IMO, of course. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MadMax 1,386 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 11 minutes ago, Umpire_ar said: Is arbiter a good schedule system? It is until you have multiple assignors using it to extend their "domain wars" and treating you, the umpire, like a pawn in some twisted, petty version of chess. The blocking system is _not_ intuitive, and if you decline an assignment _offer_, it locks you out of that time span so as to accept other offers should your availability free up. So, if you happen to work a particularly physical job, and _need sleep_ after a shift, you may not be too accepting of an offer to go across the Valley some 40 miles to do a sub-16 game, planned 3 weeks out. But, you might feel okay to do a MSBL or NABA or MiLB Training game 3 miles away the next morning if you get yourself psyched up to do it and clear it with your employer to depart early. That first assignor will accuse you of cherry-picking and being disloyal. 14 minutes ago, Stk004 said: In other news, I became acquainted with the "rainout" color on my Arbiter schedule.... Wow, they're good at forecasting. We had times back in Wisconsin where rain in one corner of the county may have cancelled a game while we were enroute, only for us to check the board (ah, the glories of self-assigning, gosh I miss those days), turn the car around, and zip on over to the other end of the county and get onto a game that was struggling to find or book umpires. This very thing was very fortuitous to me... while it was only a 12-year old baseball game I ended up taking at the last minute, I ended up working with a guy – who did the same thing – who is very experienced and highly placed in MSBL and JuCo ball. We're now very very good friends, and I'm a better umpire doing much better baseball because of it. He said he knew I was bound for better baseball after watching a single, well-timed strike call. 46 minutes ago, grayhawk said: Cue the asshole from California to talk about his game today where it's supposed to be 83. Gotcha beat. Hit 95° today. We may not see rain or 70° again here in Phoenix until "monsoon" season. 1 hour ago, VolUmp said: I have never started a FED game below 40 degrees F. Tonight I have a game at 6pm that calls for 39 degrees and dry at game time. Considering all things — bats, balls, arms, knees, how cold is too cold to play? I realize I'm from a semi-warm area of the country and this may be a daily occurrence for many of you in the month of March. March 31st, 2015, game time start of 4:00pm, with a temperature of 37°. Wind was calm at first pitch, but by the 4th inning, a biting wind had kicked up. I was so eager to call baseball, I did it in short sleeves (2010 Sky Blue). When asked by the Eskimo Costume Party behind the backstop as to if I was cold, I replied, "Nah, I'm a farm kid, I've had to chase cows in this." Next inning, I took a foul ball on the forearm and had to ask the nearest Eskimo if my arm was still there. I thought for sure it had shattered. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ricka56 1,111 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 If the field is playable, I will be out there suitably outfitted. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beerguy55 218 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 2 hours ago, VolUmp said: OK ... let me re-state ... is there anything unsafe toward the players or the equipment at a specified temp? Being Canadian, and more specifically, Albertan, I've been in some dicey situations, including playing in the snow. In fact, played in the snow in August once. It is not recommended to use composite bats when below 10 degrees C (50 F). The typical rule I run across is 5 degrees C (40 F), but aside from the bats shattering, I don't think there's a health issue/risk until a little below freezing. The one I rarely see anyone care about is when it's too HOT. I've played/coached in tournaments at 110 F, and I think those pose a bigger risk. I've had players go down with heat stroke, I've never lost a player to frostbite. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grayhawk 3,244 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 2 hours ago, MadMax said: Gotcha beat. Hit 95° today. We may not see rain or 70° again here in Phoenix until "monsoon" season. You may be surprised to hear that most people wouldn't consider 95 "beating" 83. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
udbrky 256 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 55 is too cold Still not sure why I still live in the northeastern midwest. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Richvee 1,844 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 I don't want to hear about 35 degrees, wind, or rainouts...I'm not going to be on a field for God knows how long. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 1,231 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 I had a 27-degree game last year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mudisfun 422 Report post Posted March 14, 2017 I work the same are as @grayhawk so I'll just say "Thank God for A/C today". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
catsbackr 400 Report post Posted March 15, 2017 I'm in the same part of the country as you, @VolUmp. First HS game last night, 36 degrees, 10-15 MPH wind. Yes, it was snowing. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevis 95 Report post Posted March 15, 2017 There is no bad weather; there is only insufficient clothing. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zm1283 388 Report post Posted March 17, 2017 My coldest was February of 2015. D2 game where it was around 24 with a wind chill of 12. This was partly due to the fact that we started our doubleheader at 10 a.m. because we had to be off the field at a certain time for another team to practice. It was at a neutral site because it had snowed at the home team's field. Coldest HS game was around the freezing mark and it was spitting ice/snow the entire game with the wind blowing. Equally as miserable as the game above but I didn't have a Thermabase type jacket at this point. I had all kind of layers on under the old windbreaker type jacket. Thankfully they decided beforehand to forego the JV game that was scheduled after the varsity game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MUAump2 68 Report post Posted March 17, 2017 My coldest was a few years ago, probably March 2014 in Northeastern Missouri. NAIA DH, 27 degrees at first pitch, a balmy 31 by the time we were done. No snow or ice, just cold. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites