It is a virtual guarantee that a majority of high school baseball programs in the state of Ohio will not play their complete schedule due to weather. Rain is a problem that plagues much of the central United States in the months of March, April and even early May.
Should the season move to the fall?
Cleveland Guardians analyst Al Pawlowski would like to see the high school baseball season start at the beginning of the fall semester to avoid cancellations. He is tired of the constant uncertainty with rain.
It rains a lot in Ohio.
Pawlowski’s son, Chase, attends Nordonia High School in the Cleveland suburb of Macedonia, Ohio. It enrolls approximately 1,300 students in Grades 9-12. The Knights play on the Division III level of competition in the Buckeye State. They began their season on March 29. They will play through most of May and, if they keep winning, into early June.
The average temperature for the season-opener hovers between 34º and 51º Fahrenheit. You never quite know what you’re going to get. It could be cloudy and cold. It could be warm and sunny.
Precipitation is the only thing that matters.
Games will be played in freezing temperatures. Games will not be played in a torrential downpour.
This is where it gets messy. Cleveland (and the surrounding area) averages anywhere between 2.5-4 inches of rain during the months of March, April and May.
You know the thing. April showers bring May flowers. It rains in the spring. We aren’t breaking news here.
However, the rain creates a problem for sports that are played outdoors on fields that are grass and dirt. You can’t play on a wet field. You can’t play in the rain. Duh.
A large number of high school baseball games get rained out in Ohio. Chase Pawlowski and Nordonia recently had two games canceled due to weather in back-to-back days. His dad is over it!
Should high school baseball be played in the fall?
Al Pawlowski thinks it would be a good idea to play the high school baseball season in the fall instead of the spring. You (probably) won’t have as many rain outs.
Pawlowski wants the high school baseball season to start before the fall semester.
“Or .. start baseball mid-July, play until late September. Then have your baseball playoffs start in late September.”
He is also in favor of a split season.
“Split season wouldn’t be a bad idea. It gives you the chance to play baseball in weather more suited for it in the fall and less games would be canceled.”
The travel circuit would have to adjust to the high school schedule but Pawlowski doesn’t see that as a major issue.
“My son plays HS ball in spring, and with his club team in summer and fall. Club in spring/summer with HS in fall would make the most sense. Tournaments on turf for club teams in spring would also help solve field condition problems.”
Of course, to play baseball in the fall would conflict with football. Pawlowski wants to break the mold.
“At some point, it can’t always be football gets whatever it wants and all of the other sports have to play around their desires to the other sports’ detriment.”
The athletes would have to choose between the two sports, which is something they are already doing.
“They already have to choose baseball over track and tennis in the spring. There will always be other sports student-athletes would like to play but can’t because they’re the same season […] Would u lose some to football? Sure. Would baseball and/or tennis gain players? Also yes.”
Or you could flip the two sports!
“The weather in the spring is more suitable for football. The weather in the fall is more suitable for baseball here is this region of the country.”
There are a lot of logistical issues with this idea, and football is always king, but it serves as interesting food for thought. High school baseball could be played in late summer and early fall to avoid rain outs!