UPDATED 1:36 p.m.
PEORIA, Ill. – The Peoria Chiefs have been playing through the near-record-high heat this week, as they continue a homestand with the West Michigan White Caps.
Media relations manager Cody Schindler says he doesn’t anticipate the team canceling any games – at least for that reason.
“We had the one cancellation this year due to the air quality – Canadian wildfire smoke,” said Schindler. “If the (Air Quality Index) were to get to a certain number…I don’t think we’ll get there. But, for whatever the reason the heat and humidity ran the AQI up there to those really high and uncomfortable numbers, and we had an Air Quality Alert, then certainly we could take that into consideration and cancel a ball game.”
Schindler says while staff and other personnel may not be any fonder of the heat than you or I, some of the players might be just fine with it.
“So many of the guys are from Texas and California and Florida and a lot of the southern states. We’ll chat and say, ‘Hey? How are you feeling?’ ‘Oh, we’ve dealt with this growing up, so we’re alright,’” said Schindler.
Schindler says many of the players would prefer this than the bitterly cold toward the beginning of the season. He says outside of that, the Saint Louis Cardinals training staff involved with the team have a good strength and conditioning plan for the players. And, Gatorade helps, too.
Otherwise, heat can limit pre-game warm-ups, but not much else for players.
Schindler says he hopes fans are not discouraged from attending games – something that hasn’t been a problem up to now, either – since the team has thought about keeping them cool.
“We just want to try to provide as many extra avenues as possible to make sure everybody’s cool, everybody’s save, everybody’s still enjoying themselves in the heat,” said Schindler. “We’ll have our misters out tonight, which will be stationed along the right field line.”
Schindler also says there will be plenty of water available, and if all else fails, fans can duck in to the air conditioned team store if needed.
And for the Chiefs’ mascot, “Homer?” He’ll do his pre-game on-field ritual, then Schindler says he’ll probably take it easy the rest of the night, outside of visiting some of the special air-conditioned ballpark suites.
An Excessive Heat Warning continues until 10 p.m. Friday, after the National Weather Service extended it by one day.
