What are the routines for baseball players before and after the game?

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What are the routines for baseball players before and after the game? image

In professional sports (major leagues, minor leagues, independent leagues), what is the schedule like for the athletes before and after a game?

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Answer by Randy Newsom Former minor league pitcher for Red Sox, Indians and Pirates systems

I'll give you my personal routine which I developed and patterned off of watching and working with some great mentors I had. Dave Hogg  gave an outstanding outline, so I'll also give a little more detail into those aspects. Also, keep in mind the schedule changes depending on if you are home or away. 

I tried to wake up around 10:30 a.m. every day. I felt it was necessary to keep a somewhat consistent sleep schedule and between the fact that sometimes you didn't get in until 3 or 4 a.m., and some nights after pitching the adrenaline kept me up until 2:30-3, I tried to get to bed by 2 a.m. if at all possible and wake up at a pretty consistent time each day. 

Usually after getting up, I would make myself breakfast. I was consistent here as well, trying to eat an egg-white omelette with a bunch of veggies, cheese, and salsa every morning. This just seemed to give me a somewhat healthy start to the day. After that, I would usually run any errands I needed to do or watch some bad daytime TV. 

I was pretty consistent in getting lunch on my way to the field around 1:00 p.m.. I tried to change it up but it was usually a Cobb Salad type of deal or a sandwich. In each town, I usually had a couple of go to spots. For instance, Akron, Ohio had one of my favorite delis right next to the ballpark (The Diamond Deli), in Kinston, NC there was a place we just called "Hibachi" for the chicken and veggies they served up. It just depended on the town, but I almost always picked up food around 1:00 on my way into the ballpark. 

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Most people file in around 2-3 p.m. for a 7 p.m. game. That said, I was always a little earlier, trying to arrive at the ballpark by 2, no matter what. Once there, I would finish eating, get dressed in the team issued workout gear (shorts, jersey, turf shoes, etc.) and head out to the field to do some drill work or light stretching. 

Official stretch time for the home team depends on the manager. But usually it ends up being around 3-3:30 in the minors and 3:30-4:00 for the majors, and the home team stretches. In the minors, the team usually throws together, too, and then there sometimes is a quick practice with infield defense or bunt coverage/defenses. Then its extended batting practice and clear the field by about 4:30-4:45 so the visiting team can get their work in. 

After BP, all the players retreat to the clubhouse and usually eat their pre-game meal. In most places, the "spread" consists of fruits and veggies, sandwich supplies, chicken/egg/tuna salad, and some other snacks. Nothing too heavy or special. A lot of pitchers tend to order their own food, especially if they aren't pitching that night. Position players on the other hand, tend to eat something quick and then go and take some extra swings off the tee or in the batting cages. As a reliever, I took this time to usually mix in a quick workout (cardio and core) and a 30-minute visualization/nap break. Other guys would watch TV or play cards; basically, it's down time. If it was the start of a new series, the pitchers and catchers might meet with the pitching coach to discuss hitters and strategies.

Around 6:15 p.m., everyone basically starts getting prepared for the game. Some guys shower, others just take off their BP gear and go right into their game stuff. The starting pitcher for the day usually would head out around 6:15 to start their routine (stretch, throw, bullpen) with the catcher. Wrists are taped, extra stretches are done, players discuss the opposing pitcher and his tendencies, and then the position players would head out to the field somewhere between 6:30-6:45. Relief pitchers and starters not pitching would typically file out a little before 7:00 — just making sure they didn't miss the National Anthem.

Typically in the minors, two starters are in the stands every night charting pitches and keeping the radar gun. The other two are in the dugout just hanging out. The day after a pitcher starts is usually the hardest workout day, and the day before is the easiest — thus, these two guys are typically in the dugout (they also are unlikely to pitch against the team playing that night). At 7:00 ,or more typically 7:05, first pitches are thrown and the National Anthem gets played; then the lights go on and it's showtime. 

Post-game, most guys head straight in and attack the "post-game" spread. This is the biggest difference between the different minor leagues. By the time you get to Triple-A, the post-game spread is a legit catered meal. Roasted chicken with vegetables or salmon and rice, etc. In rookie ball, it's often similar stuff as the pre-game spread (sandwiches). The post-game spread is typically what sets a "clubhouse manager" apart from his peers. We had one guy that used to shell out a little extra to have some legit restaurants bring in the spread (BBQ, sushi, etc.) and our team tipped that guy like crazy. And although most MLB teams subsidize the post-game spreads so that their players are eating healthy, it really can be a personal decision by the clubhouse manager. 

After eating, most guys shower and take off for the night. I typically came in after the game and worked out (if I had pitched) doing the heavier exercises (squats, lunges, etc.). If I didn't pitch, I would often do some shoulder stability exercises or a core workout. Then I would head to the spread, eat dinner, and hang out while watching SportsCenter or some other games. I hung out usually until about 11:00 p.m. in the clubhouse most nights. Some guys try to get out right away and go do something, but unless I had family/friends/girlfriend in town, I usually just hung out and then headed home.

Every once in a while a group of guys will go out, especially if there is an off-day the next day, but more players go out when they are on the road then when they are at home. At home, it's a lot easier to justify going back to your apartment with all your stuff than going back to another hotel room. 

Once 2:00 a.m. hit, I'd usually get to bed, wake up, and do it all over again.

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