Game day is here, finally
By: Will Vandervort
I know it has been only five days since Clemson beat Oklahoma State to advance to the Super Regional, but for some reason the last five days have been the longest five days I can remember. I guess the time change may play a part in that.
Anyway, if you have never been to the Tempe or Phoenix, Ariz., areas, I recommend you come out and try it. It is a very clean area where a lot of things are within walking distance or at least a short drive.
We hit the downtown area of Tempe last night and there a lot of things to do. That area is called The Mill Avenue District and there were tons of restaurants and other social gathering places as well as a few night clubs. It’s pretty cool.
It seems like Clemson is having a pretty good time as well. The team went to a mall last night and Jack has given them a couple of hours here and there the last couple of days to let them enjoy the trip.
The players really enjoyed batting practice yesterday and seemed loose and ready to go. Several players and Coach Leggett commented on the way the ball carries at Packard Stadium, especially to right field.
“The ball carries to right centerfield and right field, right down to that right-field corner,” Leggett said. “If the wind is blowing (today) like it did (Friday), it dies a little bit in left field so the ballpark plays a lot bigger from left center over and a lot smaller from right center over.
“We will have to keep the ball down and keep it inside of those right-handers and keep it away from those lefties.”
As for the weather conditions tonight, it should not be a problem. By 6 p.m. local time for first pitch, the temperature is expected to be in the low 80s with a southwest wind of 10 to 20 miles per hour under partly cloudy skies. The temperature today is only expected to get in the low 90s and remember there is no humidity.
“It takes time to get used to,” centerfielder Kyle Parker said. “The biggest thing about this is that you just don’t sweat as much. You are going to be out there and it is going to be 100 degrees, but out here it is just dry and (in South Carolina) it is moist.”
And that also means you get thirsty a lot quicker.
“When we went to go hit the other day, everyone was walking around with water bottles,” Parker said. “I guess that’s why you need something to drink all the time.”
Leggett said the heat and the dry weather was part of the reasoning for getting out here on Thursday and then having a practice a few hours after touching down at the airport.
“You always want to get the bus ride and the long plane ride out of them,” Leggett said. “We had a long day (Thursday) so I wanted them to get used to the air and used to the heat a little bit and also to get their legs stretched out and take a few swings.
“I think it was good for us (Thursday). It would have been tough to play (Thursday) night or do anything very effective so we had to get that out of our system.”
And finally it is time to play baseball.
Finally it’s game day.
I know it has been only five days since Clemson beat Oklahoma State to advance to the Super Regional, but for some reason the last five days have been the longest five days I can remember. I guess the time change may play a part in that.
Anyway, if you have never been to the Tempe or Phoenix, Ariz., areas, I recommend you come out and try it. It is a very clean area where a lot of things are within walking distance or at least a short drive.
We hit the downtown area of Tempe last night and there a lot of things to do. That area is called The Mill Avenue District and there were tons of restaurants and other social gathering places as well as a few night clubs. It’s pretty cool.
It seems like Clemson is having a pretty good time as well. The team went to a mall last night and Jack has given them a couple of hours here and there the last couple of days to let them enjoy the trip.
The players really enjoyed batting practice yesterday and seemed loose and ready to go. Several players and Coach Leggett commented on the way the ball carries at Packard Stadium, especially to right field.
“The ball carries to right centerfield and right field, right down to that right-field corner,” Leggett said. “If the wind is blowing (today) like it did (Friday), it dies a little bit in left field so the ballpark plays a lot bigger from left center over and a lot smaller from right center over.
“We will have to keep the ball down and keep it inside of those right-handers and keep it away from those lefties.”
As for the weather conditions tonight, it should not be a problem. By 6 p.m. local time for first pitch, the temperature is expected to be in the low 80s with a southwest wind of 10 to 20 miles per hour under partly cloudy skies. The temperature today is only expected to get in the low 90s and remember there is no humidity.
“It takes time to get used to,” centerfielder Kyle Parker said. “The biggest thing about this is that you just don’t sweat as much. You are going to be out there and it is going to be 100 degrees, but out here it is just dry and (in South Carolina) it is moist.”
And that also means you get thirsty a lot quicker.
“When we went to go hit the other day, everyone was walking around with water bottles,” Parker said. “I guess that’s why you need something to drink all the time.”
Leggett said the heat and the dry weather was part of the reasoning for getting out here on Thursday and then having a practice a few hours after touching down at the airport.
“You always want to get the bus ride and the long plane ride out of them,” Leggett said. “We had a long day (Thursday) so I wanted them to get used to the air and used to the heat a little bit and also to get their legs stretched out and take a few swings.
“I think it was good for us (Thursday). It would have been tough to play (Thursday) night or do anything very effective so we had to get that out of our system.”
And finally it is time to play baseball.
posted by Roy Philpott @ 3:18 PM
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