9781422278680

The first thing you’ve got to do when you see a pop-up is take your mask off. Keep it in your hand, and locate the ball. Then you throw the mask away from you. ” – Miguel Montero, 2016 World Series champion and two-time All-Star MLB catcher

Keep Drinking During all of the eating and warming up going on throughout game day, players must be sure to keep themselves well hydrated along the way. The body needs water to perform optimally, not just physically but mentally as well. Typically, the body will tell you when your fluids are getting low by activating its thirst mechanism. In ordinary day-to-day life, listening to your body will work just fine to maintain adequate hydration. For athletes, however, hydration needs to be more than simply adequate. Those needs should be optimally met. Therefore, athletes should not wait to feel thirsty before drinking something. On game day, hydration should be part of the routine. Be sure to consider your fluid needs throughout the day, starting at breakfast with eight ounces of either water or low-fat milk. Drink another eight ounces around mid-morning, choosing water or perhaps a low-calorie sports drink. Eight more ounces of water should accompany the lunchtime meal, and two hours before the game starts, or right after batting practice, drink sixteen ounces of water or a low-calorie sports drink. There is no clock in baseball or softball, so there is no set amount you should drink during a game as they vary in length. The best rule of thumb is to try to drink between four and eight ounces while in the dugout during your team’s at bat each inning. This should be on the higher side during hot and humid days when players are losing a lot of fluid from excessive sweating. This is the optimal time to

On hot, humid days, players need to be sure to stay well hydrated.

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