Travel Blues?

by Thomas Walker on Jun 20, 2006 11:10 AM PDT Comment 20 comments

One of the disadvantages of a young team is the lack of familiarity with the constant travel a season demands. The A's have a great record when they have a day off for travel. (6-1) Without that extra day they are (3-8). Small sample size but getting to be significant.

Last night the offense was missing. It seems we hit into double plays significantly more often in the first game of a series after a travel day. In NY on the first trip we hit into 5 the first game. Last night we hit into four.

I am sure the A's coaching staff are aware of this. I know they adjust the batting practice routine and warm ups depending on the circumstances and weather. Is there anything we might suggest to counteract this trend?

As players get healthy perhaps a system of mandatory days off and setting the starting line-up a day in advance, (pre-travel) might help. Let the players know they have to be prepared to go on short rest. Give them an opportunity to prepare. Give some guys a day off on the travel day so they can prepare to be ready the first game of the series. We do this with starting pitchers already. They seem to be able to prepare well for these games. Perhaps we should do the same for the relief pitchers and the position players.

And whatever they are doing with batting practice after a travel day, I would try something different. It has to be more than a coincidence that everyone is more prone to hit into double plays in those games.

Or is this simply an unavoidable consequence of modern day baseball?

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But shouldnt a young team

be fresher off a road trip than an older one?

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Jun 20, 2006 11:49 AM PDT reply actions

I would think so

The younger guys still have to deal with a season that is longer than they are used to. They also have never played with virtually no days off. The older guys should be able to help them adjust since they have been through it.

I think we need somethiong to help them focus and get "up" for the game after the travel day. They just look flat and something should be able to be done for that.

Thomas Walker

by Thomas Walker on Jun 20, 2006 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions

Playing 35 Innings...

... in 3 days certainly can account the A's performance last night.
The fact that the A's are now playing NL ball limits their roster options especially when it comes time to make double switches, pinch hitting etc. Sending starting pitchers is one thing but any other positional player send in advance of a team going from one city to another would look foolish if an unforseen event eg extra-innings occurs and the roster is left short.
One last tidbit, I just learned today that the Rockies keep their baseballs now in a humidor which is responsible for keeping more balls inside the park. The HR totals have significantly dropped since they started this practice.

"I've been accused of using too many words...I suppose that's like accusing Mozart of using too many notes." Bill King

by Gerard on Jun 20, 2006 1:41 PM PDT up reply actions

G(o)t the Balance Right?

I think they've been using a humidor for a while (maybe even since 2002 or 2003) but have just recently figured out the right combination of materials to use, temperature to set the room at, etc..

by PositionPlayerProd on Jun 20, 2006 2:02 PM PDT up reply actions

I understand why it happened

The question is what, if anything, can the team do about it. Is it a case where you just accept being "flat" after traveling or an extended inning game or is there some competitive advantage we can find?

Frequently the other team has also traveled for the game. If we can teach these young players to better handle the strain we should be better off. I think these guys would for the most part stick with the program. Diet, sleep, refrain from certain activities before or during travel, special stretching, limited batting practice, special drills, Red Bull anything to try to keep the players from playing "flat". The veterans seem to be able to handle it. Why doesn't someone find out what they are doing that the others are not. Learning to pace yourself sounds very important.

The limited roster from injuries has obviously hurt. Now that the bench warmers have gotten some hits maybe a "travel days" rotation is in order. I understand we cannot sent players early but we can tell them before the trip that they are out of this game, stay rested, because you are starting with short sleep tomorrow.

Thomas Walker

by Thomas Walker on Jun 20, 2006 2:48 PM PDT up reply actions

Sir Thomas Moore Understood Best

...that "moderation in all things" is the ideal achievement. I think self governance can only come from experience of living on the extremes.

Last year Chavez' diatribe in D.C. has been looked upon as setting a tone especially for the younger players. In year's past the fraternity house atomosphere conveyed by Giambi's "leadership" was made noteworthy in the press. We could look back and see if the team's alleged extra-curricular activities were responsible for their on-field play but I just don't think it's that simple. As long as they were winning, I assume it was tolerated. WHen they weren't, or perceived to not bring their best to the field, Beane made changes such as the Jeremy Giambi trade.

Thus far, we could say this is a consistent trend for the team but really every team and every season is different. The A's have a "favorable" flight schedule compared to last year when they had played the NL East. The tendency to "change something" when there is a perception that the routine is the same and not producing satisfactory results is understandable, if there were activities deemed detrimental to the team, I'm sure our team leaders would have or will address them.

In this year, when amphetamines are now not as readily acceptable or available, I expect fatigue to be an issue that will affect performance. This is a league wide issue so I'm not isolating the A's on this issue. I suspect players in hotter climates to be affected by this more than our fair weathered Athletics. My point is, just give time and see if things equal out in the long run I suspect they will

"I've been accused of using too many words...I suppose that's like accusing Mozart of using too many notes." Bill King

by Gerard on Jun 20, 2006 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions

Youth?

We're not that young of a team ...

Well, we are, but we're also a pretty old team.
Frank Thomas, Mark Kotsay Jay Payton and Jason Kendall are all fairly old and Eric Chavez feels pretty old this year.

Is it the young guys or the old guys who are dragging us down after traveling?

Devo's newest project And his blog

by devo on Jun 20, 2006 11:59 AM PDT reply actions

Good point

I just figured the older players would have more experience dealing with the traveling. Perhaps this year it is the aggravation of injuries that is causing this tendency. In any event wouldn't regular days off around the travel day help performance?

Thomas Walker

by Thomas Walker on Jun 20, 2006 12:21 PM PDT up reply actions

There can be

a variety of subtleties to mitigate the travel thing that can be trivialized by younger players...who tend to shrug off things.

Lay off any alcohol before and during travel. Drink extra water. Purposely rest and slow down. Diet, etc.

the great playoff miss of 2004 followed by the good try of 2005...in 2006?...prove it.

by ak_A on Jun 20, 2006 1:13 PM PDT reply actions

A parallel, perhaps?

I was reading, I think, an L.A. Times profile on the "new" INXS, and the writer pointed out how new singer J.D. Fortune was totally exhausted on the tour bus. The other members, all a good 15 years older than him, were doing fine.

One of the band members (probably a Farris brother) pointed out that they had been the same way when they first started touring but learned over tme to pace themselves.

And I've heard the same from the Pet Shop Boys (whom I imagine enjoying nice glasses of wine after their rare concerts) and Bernard Sumner of New Order (which was a notorious party band that would have after-show parties and after-after-show parties before finishing the night/morning off with more "good times" back at the hotel).

That's not to say the younger players necessarily party before or while on the road, but I think the touring musicians' experiences, taken with alaska A's comments, could be applicable to younger baseball players.

by PositionPlayerProd on Jun 20, 2006 1:30 PM PDT up reply actions

I'd like to

get loaded with Tears for Fears.

by Reg on Jun 20, 2006 2:06 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, just be careful...

...they don't delve into their primal scream roots!

(Partying with Primal Scream, OTOH...)

by PositionPlayerProd on Jun 20, 2006 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions

Pacing yourself may be the key

It sounds right that the real issue is learning to pace yourself. Do you think that you can pace yourself in an athletic environment like baseball as a musician can as a performer? I am thinking the "all out effort" on any given baseball play is harder to pace than a performance on stage.

Thomas Walker

by Thomas Walker on Jun 20, 2006 2:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Off the field & pre-/post-game time

That's a real good point about on-stage versus on-the- field time/effort/energy. I know that what can be a killer for touring musicians is the time NOT spent on stage, either getting to the venue or waiting between soundcheck and the actual performance (or maybe the pre-show meet & greet).

I've heard and read how that's the same with minor leaguers and all the bus riding. It seems the issues would be similar but not as extreme at the MLB level.

by PositionPlayerProd on Jun 20, 2006 3:03 PM PDT up reply actions

Taps pipe, adjust glasses....

Pacing. In my view pacing is conserving one's energy and or energy potential in the areas one can without compromising on the field performance where I would think the goal is to be as 100 percent as possible.

Things like eating the right foods, drinking plenty of water, decreasing caffiene/stimulants and depressants like alcohol. Foregoing activities one may normally do at home games where they may be less stressing factors.

A younger or more un-bridled athlete may not comprehend the intricacies of this...work hard/play hard has consequences.

the great playoff miss of 2004 followed by the good try of 2005...in 2006?...prove it.

by ak_A on Jun 21, 2006 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions

Must be the answer

It just does not seem they should so often go "flat" after a travel day. These guys are in great shape compared to most of us. They work hard.

I think you must be right on this one. I imagine these guys put in eight hours every day with very few days off. Still if they paid more attention to diet, sleep, hydration etc. it would seem they would be more consistent. When I started paying close attention to hydration recently on my cross country trips I felt significantly better. When I was younger the travel did not seem to have much of an impact.

Maybe we will see players pay more attention to this now that drug testing may take away the "shortcuts" like greenies, etc. Maybe they have been trying to use more caffeine as a replacement. This obviously will cause problems with hydration.

Thomas Walker

by Thomas Walker on Jun 21, 2006 3:41 PM PDT up reply actions

Semi frequently

I travel from Alaska to Washington DC (4 hours difference) where the next morning after getting to the hotel around midnight I have to be up early and alert in a training class. Done this many times.

When I purposely adjusted my travel and my on site routine including more "forced" water drinking,no alcohol, extra supplements, ONE or two cups of coffee in the morning instead of 8, "healthier" foods, and toned down workout I performed much better at the training and felt better too.

The bose noise cancelling headphones along with earplugs reduce stress in the long flights or in noisy airports too.

the great playoff miss of 2004 followed by the good try of 2005...in 2006?...prove it.

by ak_A on Jun 21, 2006 4:21 PM PDT up reply actions

My theory on the double plays

We take a lot of pitches and get into a lot of two strike counts. I think we get a lot of bad swings on those two strike counts. Ball is out of the zone. Bat hits ball weakly on ground.

by easyraider on Jun 20, 2006 5:22 PM PDT reply actions

Two hours on ...

a charter with first class seats throughout the cabin to a destination one time zone and a five star hotel as opposed to say five hours on the couch and your own bed and the distractions of home.

It has to be the travel.

Ten game winning streaks apparently aren't good enough for everybody.

by southofcruiseamerica on Jun 20, 2006 5:53 PM PDT reply actions