TRENTON- With the thermometer climbing just as the Thunder are in the standings, and just one more off-day in the schedule (Monday), there have been some tweaks to the preparation on game day. But nothing has managed to cool off Trenton on the diamond. The way the Thunder are playing this summer, it may make for a very interesting...
TRENTON- With the thermometer climbing just as the Thunder are in the standings, and just one more off-day in the schedule (Monday), there have been some tweaks to the preparation on game day.
But nothing has managed to cool off Trenton on the diamond. The way the Thunder are playing this summer, it may make for a very interesting last three weeks of the Eastern League season.
Trenton comes into Sunday's rubber game with New Hampshire just two games back of Reading in the Eastern Division standings, with a chance to break the all-time franchise record for wins in a season (92.)
At 76-44, and with a four-game series with Reading to close out the regular season before what increasingly looks like a best-of-five playoff with the Fightin Phils, Thunder manager Bobby Mitchell's squad is firing on all cylinders.
But the weather, which has been oppressive at ARM & HAMMER Park this weekend, has led to a few changes in the game-day schedule.
"We changed it a little bit," Mitchell said. "I was in the PCL (Pacific Coast League), and we went to Nashville one year, and it was just stifling. So we just made adjustments on the batting practice routine, so that the players weren't on the field for too long."
"They got their defense, and then they hit," Mitchell said. "Then we took it in. We revised it some. Hopefully it helps."
"I think you have to (watch that the players are ok)," Mitchell said. "Some teams may not figure it. But especially in August, when everyone is somewhat tired anyway. You have to make sure that you are keeping their energy level up, and give them some days off. They are playing every day."
"You have to keep them from getting too tired," Mitchell said. "Sometimes their play will suffer, and they don't even realize it, just because they are tired. I think they were happy that they didn't have to be on the field for 45 straight minutes, or actually more than that. Hopefully it helps."
It definitely helped Saturday night, as the Thunder jumped all over New Hampshire for eight runs in the first two innings, on the way to an 8-2 win.
Tyler Austin, Aaron Judge show the path for the Thunder players to the big leagues
There is another way that the Thunder, and the New York Yankees organization, is ahead of the game in regards to the health of the players.
With the Case's Pork Roll competition at the stadium this past Friday night, relief pitcher Tyler Jones talked about the eating habits of the team in respects to other organizations, of which he was part of two in the past few years.
"I think it is really important," Jones said. "It is kind of a newer thing. This is the third organization I have been with. The Twins, as I was on the way out two years ago, were really starting to embrace it. Last year was my only year with the Braves, and the nutrition wasn't stressed nearly as much as here."
"It is definitely important though," Jones said. "What you put in your body is a temple. It fuels you. They have really embraced it here. Pregame is usually healthy, with chicken or fish with vegetables. Every once in a while we have a cheat day, or maybe someone's birthday. But it is very healthy."
With other high profile sports really going big on the value of nutrition in the locker room, including two infamous stories from the world of English football: David Moyes at Manchester United (he banned chips, or french fries, which led to a player revolt that ended up ousting him in 2014) and Pep Guardiola at Manchester City recently.
One of the first things Chip Kelly did with the Eagles is overhaul the nutrition plan.
Joey Chestnut, Carmen Cincotti in town at Thunder game for Case's Pork Roll contest
Jones is a big guy, at 6-4, 240. The former quarterback and rush defensive end was impressed with the feats of Joey Chestnut and Carmen Cincotti, who will both be in town for the Famous Trenton Thunder Case's Pork Roll Eating Contest on September 24.
"We saw the hotdog eating contest," Jones said. "It is incredible. I don't know how those guys do that. It is unreal. I eat three hotdogs, and am stuffed. Those guys eat 70! But our nutritionist is here this weekend. I don't think she would like us doing something like that."
"We do have a couple of guys that can put away the food, though," Jones said.
Contact Sean Miller at seanmillertrentontimes@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheProdigalSean